WITH the reopening of hairdressers from earlier this week, our favourite Scottish artists now have no excuse to be appearing at live gigs this year with lockdown mops, even though it does give them a sort of an edge.
The beginning of every exciting roadmap to live gigs is a combination of a good doo and April the 9th’s insane new releases.
PG Ciarletta – Let Go
Fife-based singer, Phil Ciarletta, has always had a way of connecting with his listeners through humble, honest and relatable lyrics. The type of lyrics where you can laugh and say: “Been there, done that, and worn the t-shirt.”
One-line review: “Honest, transparent and insanely down to earth — he even has a way of making ‘f*ck’ sound poetic.”
FFO: Gerry Cinnamon, Jamie Pollock, Travis, The View
Lachlan – Relay
Aberdeen born, though now based in Edinburgh, Lachlan has an iconic Indie look to match his even more iconic and alternative sound as heard in this fantastic new track.
One-line review: “Unlike the typical indie rock song— which gradually builds up to a loud, fast-paced crashing chorus — Lachlan has opted for a softer yet maybe even more effective moderato climax.”
FFO: Cameo Habitat, The Snuts, Jamie Pollock, Twenty Four, Shambolics
Stephanie Cheape – Queen
Known widely as the “Scottish Vixen of Pop” after supporting big acts such as Roxy Music star Bryan Ferry and 80s pop band The Human League, Stephanie Cheape proves once again the versatility in her sound. A musician whose musical boundaries are limitless.
One-line review: “If rough, dirty rock spent a week with electro-pop, this is exactly what it would sound like— modern gothic pop.”
FFO: Pale Waves, Lana Del Rey, Dua Lipa, Rianne Downey, Lucia And The Best Boys
Ciara Watt – Alone in the Dark
Nineteen-year-old English Lit student, Ciara Watt, has not been limiting her talent of writing just to her degree, as this relatable, folk-pop single emerges to the scene from being written during lockdown. This single expresses the feelings of alienation felt from not being able to fit in, except in your own mind.
One-line review: “It’s incredibly refreshing to see a combination of humbling, traditional folk storytelling and a modern pop beat— it feels progressive and adds a much-needed freshness to the growing scene.”
FFO: Abigail Pryde, Maya Herlihy, Rachel Jack, Taylor Swift, Katie Gregson-MacLeod
Static Satellites – Smokescreens
Wracking up a few thousand plays on each of their Spotify releases, Static Satellites are a Glasgow based band notorious for their catchy Indie pop riffs and vocals since forming in 2018 and that accolade still remains with this catchy, optimistic new release.
One-line review: “Melodic, uplifting and bright— Static Satellites never fail to bring optimistic indie pops riff to the scene like the one in this track, capable of transforming your day from just one click of the play button.”
FFO: The Cure, Biffy Clyro, Glasvegas, Belle and Sebastian, Weezer, Two Door Cinema Club
The Martial Arts – Bethany
The Martial Arts, a project of Paul Kelly, also musters a five-piece live performance with members of acts such as TeenCanteen, Trembling Bells and Nevada Base. With the track Murry & Audree from TMA’s debut album accumulating more than 3,000 plays in 2006, it’s clear that the talent still persists to this day.
One-line review: “In very Paul Anka’s ‘Diana’ and Neil Sedaka’s ‘Oh Carol’ style, The Martial Arts nailed a modern twist on what sounds like mid-century inspired modern, alternative rock’n’roll.”
FFO: Felix and the Sunsets, Sutherland Brothers & Quiver, Smokie, Gigolo Aunts, DM3, Late Fees
Late Fees – Stay In
Forming in 2019, this alternative rock trio have gifted the scene a wonderful, toe-tapping and easy-listening single that has aced the art of staying away from overly-saturated harmonies and striking the perfect balance for charts-ready tracks.
One-line review: “The ratio of beautiful harmonies to good old dirty alternative rock on this track is perfectly balanced, comparable to rock’s greatest from the likes of the Beach Boys, Beatles and the Eagles.”
FFO: Camera Obscura, Static Satellites, Teenage Fanclub, The Martial Arts
The Chosen Lonely – Zoom Romance
The Chosen Lonely is no stranger to the scene with multiple song appearances on BBC Radio Scotland along with other regional radio appearances. Putting the North on the map for Scotland, Chosen Lonely has released a pandemic-inspired single with a bit of a brighter, light-hearted side.
One-line review: “Creatively topical and definitely humorous — almost certainly a sound of the summer.”
FFO: Belle and Sebastian, Static Satellites, Glasvegas, Biffy Clyro, The Martial Arts, Late Fees
Be Charlotte – we are burning
With an incredible 15,677 monthly listeners on Spotify, Dundee’s Be Charlotte is continuing to grab ears with her beautiful, lo-fi indie bedroom pop as a talented multi-instrumentalist all over the UK.
One-line review: “Lo-fi angelic warmth that radiates in Be Charlotte’s vocals, only further complimented by a soft acoustic and meticulous placement of piano notes that make this track 1975-esque.”
FFO: Eleanor Hickey, Rachel Jack, Rhianne Downey, Lizzie Reid, Baby Queen, Zara Larsson, Josephine Sillars, Pretty Preachers Club, 1975
DAYTIME TV – zombie
Formerly known as Hunter & The Bear, Daytime TV successfully hit the scene with their 2020 single “side effects” which accumulated almost 20,000 plays. Things are looking just as promising for this quartet.
One-line review: “Don’t be concerned with the volume and raw power of ‘zombie’ when you play this track, it’ll turn your neighbours into DAYTIME TV fans.”
FFO: The Snuts, Glasvegas, Biffy Clyro, Vistas, Sam Fender, Fatherson, Twin Atlantic
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