Latest News
The Dirty Blonde’s new album ‘Sugarmilk’ out now!
"The latest in a long line of great bands from Glasgow..." - Gigwise
"Neighbourhood friends with a taste for melody..." - Clash
The Dirty Blonde's sophomore album Sugarmilk is out now via Two State Recording and is available to buy now via the band's Bandcamp Page.
To celebrate the release, The Dirty Blonde have just revealed a brand new video for Either Way, which premiered on Clash and you can watch it now via the band's YouTube Page.
The band play what they enjoy, refusing to be bound by genre, while taking inspiration from the works of bands such as R.E.M. and DIY heroes Ween, as well as an early exposure to Scotland’s fabled folk scene. The band’s sound is showcased in the tracks released from their album thus far, which includes two download tracks and two single releases and you can listen to these tracks via the ABoF Soundcloud Page now.
The result is an album, Sugarmilk, which refuses to sit still, jumping from the fuzzed out garage rock of tracks such as ‘Rosey-Eyed’ and free download ‘Take You Under’ to the introspective alternative shoegaze of the aforementioned ‘Bottom Feeder’ and ‘Start Over’, with the rest falling somewhere in between, fusing the two together into a cohesive, alt-rock whole. Goodbye: Tiny Fractures, which was released as a single earlier this year, may sound like a staple indie dance floor filler, but it’s soon elevated to greatness by Danny Gallagher’s high energy gravel coated vocals allied to the beautifully constructed interplay between guitars, bass and drums.
Buzzing with musical energy from a young age, former members and brothers Danny (lead vocals & guitar) and Paddy Gallagher (bass & vocals) along with current members Dean Canale (drums) and David Rybacki (guitar & vocals) were often kicked out of music classes at school, but refused to be discouraged as they experimented with a range of electronics, pedals and any other noise-making devices, as they attempted to push their sound to the limit.
Having spent the last few years playing around Glasgow and the UK, including sold out shows at Nice’N’Sleazy and The 13th Note, the boys used the proceeds to set up their own rehearsal and recording studio, and are now ready to share their debut album with the world at large.
Sugarmilk is out now via Two States Recording and is available to buy via Bandcamp.
She Makes War’s EP ‘Disarm:15’ out now!
"...why just sing songs, when you can build worlds. - The Quietus
"The emotional resonance of Elliott Smith colliding with the barbed vigour of Sleater-Kinney." - Gigwise
She Makes War aka Laura Kidd’s EP Disarm:15 is out now via My Big Sister Recordings.
Disarm:15 sees Laura reworking some of her favourite tracks from debut album Disarm on the fifth anniversary of its release. Laura explains: “I’ve played about 400 gigs since I recorded my first album, so I wanted to approach the songs I’ve been touring for the last five years with a fresh perspective - I selected the ones that feel the most resonant to me now and the ones I knew would benefit most from a bit of wisdom and hindsight.”
The video ‘ghostsandshadows’ from the EP premiered on Clash and you can watch it now via She Makes War’s YouTube Page.
You can also download free track 'I Am' via She Makes War's Bandcamp page and watch her video for EP track 'Slow Puncture' via her YouTube page.
The tracks on the EP are still in keeping with her core influences, artists like Elliott Smith and Cat Power, however, this reimagining shows how she’s evolved as an artist. Disarm:15 is a fantastic way for Laura to look back at her debut, but also to demonstrate how her music has developed with a hint as to where it will take her next.
She Makes War has been on a short tour throughout December with support from Eliza Rickman (Welcome To Night Vale podcast). Her tour will be closing tonight at The Louisiana in Bristol - you can buy tickets now via SMW's website.
Luckily, fans won’t have to wait long with She Makes War’s next album Direction of Travel slated for release in early 2016. The album was produced by Laura herself and mixed by Dan Austin (Doves, Pixies) and features guest appearances from Tanya Donelly (Belly, Throwing Muses) Mark Chadwick (The Levellers), Clive Deamer (Portishead) and Nicole Robson (Bat For Lashes) amongst others.
Receiving past support from BBC 6Music’s Lauren Laverne and Tom Robinson, The Quietus and Uncut Magazine as well as touring with the likes of tUnE-yArDs, Gruff Rhys, The Levellers, Nadine Shah and Suede, Laura already has an impressive musical resume - something she is sure to build on in 2016.
Disarm:15 is out now via My Big Sister Recordings.
A Badge of Friendship to co-curate the main stage at Brew At The Bog Festival!
A Badge of Friendship are very pleased to announce that we'll be co-curating the main stage at Brew at the Bog Festival on Friday June 3rd 2016 alongside Podcart and Netsounds.
The festival runs over two days - Friday June 3rd and Saturday June 4th 2016 - and we have handpicked two bands from our roster we felt would make great additions to the festival line-up, our very own HAWK and Ex Libras.
HAWK announced their latest single Once Told, out February 19th 2016. Check it out on Soundcloud.
Ex Libras recently released their latest EP Woe. You can download the free track 'Drive' now via Soundcloud.
The initial line-up announced also happens to include bands already on the ABoF roster - clearly the good folks at Brew have very good taste indeed! Dead Boy Robotics, The Van T's, Best Girl Athlete and Outblinker will also appear at the festival over the two days. However, also announced is Mercury Prize 2015 nominee C Duncan, the brilliant HQFU, Pinact, JR Green with many more yet to be announced.
A two-day camping festival, Brew at the Bog showcases the very best home-grown Scottish musical talent, as well as the country’s best craft drinks and food. It’s held at Bogbain Farm in Inverness, which was crowned "Best Unusual Venue" at the 2012 Scottish Event Awards - the perfect setting for a festival that prides itself on championing the best of Scotland’s alternative scene.
As well as the music, there will be a dedicated craft beer bar offering the best selections from across Scotland.
Add to that a wide choice of Scotland’s finest gins, cider from award-winning Thistly Cross and a fizzy treat in the form of a prosecco bar, the drinks line-up matches the music bill in terms of quality and choice.
Tickets are currently £59 and available HERE.
If you'd like more information about A Badge of Friendship at Brew at the Bog, please email us at info@abadgeoffriendship.com. Official Brew at the Bog enquiries should go through the website.
Introducing… Maria Kelly!
Maria Kelly has been writing music since she was 10. Growing up in Mayo, Ireland she has spent years crafting and developing her sound into the pin-drop vocals and beautiful lyrics we can hear on her first track with Veta Records; Before It Has Begun.
Before It Has Begun is about the beginning of the end of a relationship and that moment where one person realises they will not be able to love someone in the same way that they are loved in return. It is a humanising and heartbreaking tale in which Maria’s vocals, which have a delicate, fragile quality similar to Lucy Rose but with the story telling ability of Regina Spektor draw you in to share the emotion of what the protagonist is going through.
Maria premiered the video for Before It Has Begun on her Facebook page but you can also download it for free now via her Soundcloud.
Before It Has Begun - Maria KellyLet me introduce you to my song 'Before It Has Begun'.If you enjoy this video, please pass it on to someone who might like it too. I am excited and terrified to find out what you all think!Thank you so much to Ciarán O'Brien Media for the video.You can also download the track here for free: http://bit.ly/1Nlgp7f
Posted by Maria Kelly on Tuesday, 1 December 2015
Maria has played numerous shows in both the UK and Ireland supporting the likes of Orla Gartland and Wyvern Lingo and playing venues such as Birthdays, Whelans, The Button Factory, Cyprus Avenue, The Roisin Dubh, and The Workmans Club as a solo musician. Maria is working in the studio on new tracks for her next EP and developing her live sound in preparation for a busy 2016!
Before It Has Begun is available to download for free now via Veta Records.
The Frisbys release double a-side single Born and Raised/Give in to the Dark!
"...glorious harmonies and sweet, emotive sound..." - For Folk's Sake
The Frisbys have released their free double a-side single Born and Raised/Give in to the Dark, which is out now via Dantobaccus Records. Both tracks are taken from their forthcoming EP The Cause.
The single stream for Born and Raised premiered on Gigwise but you can also stream and download it now on the band's Soundcloud page. The Frisbys describe the track as “light hearted and upbeat...almost a countrified version of 'No Scrubs' by TLC”.
Helen and Nicola have been singing and playing music together since they were old enough to speak. Having performed as a duo for many years honing their incredible vocal harmonies, it took a boredom call from a broken-legged Marc Robinson (piano, guitar) to convince them to start a full band. The three were joined by Sam Keer (acoustic/electric/slide guitar), and later, Will Cattermole (bass) and Tom Finigan (drums). They have been producing haunting and emotive music ever since.
The video for Give in to the Dark which was filmed predominantly on an idyllic beach and intercut with home video’s from the twins past, reflects the message behind the song which tells the tale of loving somebody suffering with Seasonal Adjustment Disorder (SAD). It lets that person know that they are there for them and waiting for them until the time is right for them to come back and out of their ‘darkness’.
The video premiered on For Folk’s Sake
and the stream premiered on Folk Radio. You can watch the video now on the band’s YouTube page or by clicking on the embed below.
Having received past support from Ruth Barnes, Gary Crowley and Kathryn Tickell on Amazing Radio, Mark Forrest on BBC Radio, Team Rock Radio, Folk Radio and For Folk’s Sake, the band already boast an impressive collection of fans. This is already being built upon, with Born and Raised having recently been featured as Track of The Day on Sarah Gorrell’s Drive Time Show on BBC Sussex.
Born and Raised/Give in to the Dark is available as a free download now and The Cause will be out January 29th 2016 via Dantobaccus Records.