Ryan Drever

White Hills

Captain’s Rest, Glasgow, Mon 8 Mar 2010

10 Mar 2010

It would be an understatement to say that Black Sabbath were important. Their influence and sludgy, dark take on bluesy hard rock still, and rather obviously, resonates strongly within so many bands today. However, upon witnessing tonight’s…

Girls set for Glasgow live date

17 Feb 2010

Bleary-eyed San Fran duo, Girls, follow up last October’s Scottish dates with another gig, as part of a frankly stomach-churning US/European tour. The pair, comprising of Chet ‘JR’ White and Christopher Owens, released their debut – simply titled, Album…

Exposure: Suspire

22 Jan 2010

Suspire are a trio from Glasgow with unrelenting enthusiasm and a good few tunes to boot. The band have been together sporadically in various guises since the early 00's but this somewhat revised line-up finally released their debut EP, Legislate For…

Henry Rollins

Glasgow O2 Academy, Wednesday, Wed 13 Jan

15 Jan 2010

It’s quite some achievement to be at the point where people will pay to listen to you talk for two and a half hours, and the magnitude of such an accomplishment is evident tonight as Henry Rollins takes centre stage in front of a loyal and packed-out…

10 for 2010: Divorce

7 Jan 2010

Noise, beautiful noise is the speciality of Glasgow’s Divorce. Smarter than you’re average metal band, there’s hints of the brilliance of Lightning Bolt or Liars in the fivesome’s 10” EP, released last year on Optimo Music. Plus they deliver an awesome…

10 for 2010: Errors

7 Jan 2010

Rock Action favourites Errors first made their twitchy, electronic mark with 2007 EP ‘How Clean is Your Acid House?’ With another Channel 4-referencing album Come Down With Me in February, expect more melodic electronica and a full tour to follow.

10 for 2010: Lau

7 Jan 2010

Multi-award-winning folk trio Lau (comprising Kris Drever, Martin Green and Aidan O’Rourke), encapsulated the idea of achingly beautiful, traditional yet progressive folk music with their excellent Arc Light album last year. Unmissable live.

10 for 2010: Meursault

7 Jan 2010

Another gem from the Song, by Toad stable, Neil Pennycook and co aim to match the brilliance of 2008’s, Pissing on Bonfires/ Kissing With Tongues with an album in April, plus launch night at Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh. www,myspace.com/meursaulta701

10 for 2010: Midnight Lion

7 Jan 2010

Accomplished electropop from ex Drive-By Argument members Midnight Lion.The duo score points for Miike Snow-esque chart potential and, just as Vodaphone do (they also tip them for success) we admire their melding of slick beats and Scottish accents.

10 for 2010: Pearl and the Puppets

7 Jan 2010

It’s the old story. Girl meets guitar. Girl meets Elton John. Flowery alternative pop abounds across mobile phone adverts. There’s enough Regina Spektor in Katie Sutherland’s (aka Pearl)’s ouput to balance out the Sandi Thom, however. Album in the…

10 for 2010: Silver Columns

7 Jan 2010

Silver Columns – a top secret duo poised to reveal their true identities any day now – captured our imaginations with 2009’s brilliant disco gem, ‘Brow Beaten’. Still largely mysterious (did someone say Fence?) a debut LP this spring will be hard to…

10 for 2010: The Phantom Band

7 Jan 2010

The brilliance of last year’s Checkmate Savage shot these ‘proto-robofolk’-ers straight into our Hot 100. Here’s hoping that, after various name changes, they’re going to stay TBP long enough to promote this year’s new album.

10 for 2010: The Unwinding Hours

7 Jan 2010

Ex-Aereogramme men, Craig B and Iain Cook, make a welcome return with The Unwinding Hours. Their new material shows the same engrossing and heart-wrenching qualities. A self-titled debut album is due to be released on 15 Feb.

Laura Veirs - July Flame

6 Jan 2010

(Bella Union) On July Flame, the seventh album from Portland, Oregon’s Laura Veirs, the wistful songstress takes a more stripped-down approach compared with recent efforts. Conceived from a chance summer meeting with an unusual peach at a local…

Exposure: Out Of Samsara

27 Nov 2009

Further proving that Ayr isn't quite the cultural deadzone you might think it is, Out Of Samsara are yet another band to come creeping out of the woodwork with a sound that has grown far beyond futile plucking of your average local band. Mixing the…

Exposure: Kasms

26 Nov 2009

Kasms are a four-piece from London mixing buzzsaw guitars and haunting melodies with explosive and (literally) violent live performances. Fans of Gossip may have already had their eyes opened and their ears caved in by Kasms' punk-drenched chaos on…

Shields Up

Bar Bloc, Glasgow, Thu 29 Oct

19 Nov 2009

Bloc has never seemed liked the most conventional setting for live music. Its close-knit tables and chairs obscure most of the floor, making it awkward to view – to say the least – and even more so to play. However, there’s an odd charm to being packed…

Exposure: The Twisted Melons

11 Nov 2009

The Twisted Melons are three brothers from Kintyre whose musical path veers somewhere between the frenetic pace and monster riffage of Biffy Clyro and the kind of stadium rock choruses the Foo Fighters have been knocking out for the past decade…

Shields Up

Bar Bloc, Glasgow, Thu 29 Oct

4 Nov 2009

Bloc has never seemed liked the most conventional setting for live music. Its tightly-packed tables and chairs obscure most of the floor, making it awkward to view – to say the least – and even more so to play. There’s an odd charm to being packed into…

Exposure: Phil Campbell

28 Oct 2009

Glasgow-born singer/songwriter Phil Campbell has spent the last 15 years or so planting his musical seeds in London's bustling metropolis; which seems to have paid off in critical acclaim alone, landing him spots on Jools Holland and relentless touring…

Part Chimp - Stereo, Glasgow, Fri 25 Sep

'Loudest band in Britain' let loose

2 Oct 2009

The term ‘Cult Following’ is thrown around all too easily these days, but it begins to prove apt as the dimly-lit bowels of Stereo, wall to with head-banging disciples, are thrust into perpetual noise this evening at the hands of Part Chimp. Previously…

Exposure: Call To Mind

7 Sep 2009

Call To Mind are a Glasgow-based quartet, homegrown in the Highlands, that create dreamy heartfelt melodies and expansive soundscapes, steadily earning the band a reputation as a intense live proposition and collective songwriting talent.

Exposure: Lovvers

4 Sep 2009

Lovvers sound like they've set up in your bedroom, cranked up the amps eardrum-bursting levels and proceeded to not give one solitary shit if they piss you off, earning a night in the cells in the process. The UK punks' debut album, OCD Go Go…

Exposure: Divorce

26 Aug 2009

Divorce are a Glasgow-based five-piece that sound as brutal and menacing as their live shows and brilliantly grotesque artwork would have you believe. Dissonant, brazen and relentless, their songs are a mix full-on rhythmic assaults, jagged guitar noise…

Exposure: The Elvis Suicide

25 Aug 2009

The Elvis Suicide are a Glaswegian trio, mixing the balls-out swagger of old school rock 'n roll with the raw intensity and power-chord prowess of punk to bring about a whirlwind of blistering energy that would make any of those genre's fallen heroes…