Monday 16 May 2011

Kowalskiy's Free Monthly 5-track Scottish EP #11

You missed me?  Well, I'm back... kinda... with EP #11.  As with the last one, I've given you lovely people out there the chance to design the cover art.  Once again, there's been some cracking entries but the winner is... drumroll please... Matthew Wills for that mesmerising piece above!  Take a bow Sir.  If you fancy following Matthew's own blog, then here's the link.

For this month's EP, I'm chuffed to say I've finally persuaded one of my favourite Scottish bands into contributing a track, as well as another band whose upcoming debut album will blow you away!  I'll leave you to work out who's who.  So without much further ado, here's the five brilliant acts appearing on EP #11 and what they had to say about their track.  Had I been better prepared, we'd be hearing from all 5 acts.  I wasn't though, but they'll be with you soon...

1. 4dayweekend - Demo 1 (A brand, spanking new live demo from Glasgow's Kowalskiy-approved, epic indie-rockers.)

"After a successful launch night and tour for our latest EP "Urban Lies & Rural Skies" in January, we found ourselves inching to write new material. So for the past few months we have been locked away in the studio, and from it came three new tracks. As we had only recently released new material we decided to video a live performance of all three tracks, which then posted on Youtube. This track is the first of the three and you can view all three videos as well as a short interview about the band at www.youtube.com/4dayweekendonline" - 4dayweekend

2. How Garbo Died - Newton's Third (The physicist in me is drawn to the title, every other part loves this brooding, dark, electro cracker.)

"Newton's Third originally appeared on the second of our home recorded batches (all available free at www.howgarbodied.bandcamp.com) and is actually part of a four song story cycle that appears over the first four batches (I'm not going to reveal what the other tracks are, I'll leave it for further investigation). The story concerns the love affair between a 14 year old schoolgirl and a 23 year old down syndrome sufferer. It's not exactly standard source material but I feel we've managed to bring out the beauty and the drama in the story as well as representing the specific characters without trivialising them. This version of the track was recorded at the start of March at Greendoor Studios, it allowed us to really build some textures into the song while maintaining the 'rough around the edges' feel that the subject matter requires." - Kevin Gilday (How Garbo Died)

3. Matt Norris & the Moon - First Light of Day (An Edinburgh, Mumford-esque, trumpetty-folk gem!  I defy you not to fall in love with it.)

We'll hear from Matt Norris soon too.

4. Laurence & the Slab Boys - Shareen (An exclusive track from the Berlin-based Scots whose debut album is shaping up to be something special.  Just you wait!)

"We recorded this last Thursday and it’s mostly live, but for some vocal and guitar overdubs. It might be too fast but we were running out of time. The song doesn’t sound like our other stuff, as we were just having a bit of fun with a song about the first lie that some of us are ever told. It sounds like the Devil is playing tambourine in the background but it’s really just our friend Ecki messing about." - Larry Reid (Laurence & the Slab Boys)

5. Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers - She (Finally, after months of shameless pestering on my part, here's an amazing exclusive from one of Scotland's finest bands!)

"This track, which as far as I'm aware didn't really have a working title was recorded during the Home and the Wildhunt sessions in 2009, after the first rough mix of the album we decided to drop it, and then it just got forgotten about. Having dug it out and listened to it again after two years I kinda wish it had made it onto the album or a single or something..the trumpet arrangement towards the end is lovely. Hope you enjoy!  As for 2011 and beyond...after releasing Home and the Wildhunt last year, and gigging it throughout the country, we are back in our studio writing and rehearsing a whole new batch of new material, which will eventually make its way onto our second album." - Nick Dudman (Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers)

The EP is now up for free download over on my bandcamp page, along with EPs #1-10 and a couple of extras.  Get downloading!

I leave you with bad news folks!  On June 16th,  when you'll all be expecting me to mark a year of free EPs, I'll be sunning myself in some far-off land.  Not sure then, when EP #12 will see the cold light of day, but I'll keep you posted!  In the meantime, get your cover art entries in.  You've got a bit longer this time, so all you need to do is email me your entry before noon on the 20th of June.  Same requirements as before... square, at least 350px wide, and pretty!  And as always, if any bands out there who fancy making my life that wee bit easier and want to volunteer a track for one of these EPs, then send me a wee email too.  Arrivederci!

1 comment:

  1. Nice tracks. I hope this can really influence my band and all my team members will be inspired. Thanks for the post.

    ReplyDelete