Long Time Coming - Precious & Grace

Precious & Grace are something of an oddity amongst Edinburgh's younger bands. Their approach to pop-infused rock music with big choruses doesn't subscribe to "the current sound" in the way similarly aged Scottish guitar bands do, with a distinctly American slant that has been more or less constant since their inception years ago, despite this EP being their first major release.

Curiously, with Long Time Coming the band are drawing from their newest material, despite having amassed a considerable repertoire over time. It weighs in at a lean 12 minutes, and of its three tracks, two are brand new ones that few had heard prior to their release, certainly a bold creative decision.


Opener All America Long more or less summarizes the record- a big chorus with big echoing guitars, well-placed harmonies and twinkles of piano. It's an interestingly meticulous pop song, with various melodic and rhythmic twists that work really well. The band's songwriting is the most prevalent strong point of the EP- it's refreshing when young musicians punch above their weight, and unashamedly aim for the classic rock highs a lot of their peers would be too nervous to even dream of. And for the most part, it works well.

Generally speaking, this EP is a commendably mature and self-confident work that stands on its own two feet, regardless of the age of the musicians that crafted it. The hallmarks of a young band still trying to find their feet are visible throughout, however, with all manner of devices being experimented with underneath the unifying musical palette. From shameless wah guitar solos to gang chants, it feels as though Precious & Grace still aren't 100% sure exactly what they want to be. However, the musical output speaks for itself, and as a solid release and indicator of future potential, Long Time Coming is a successful debut.

Stewart McLachlan

High Five: Roberta Banana (Red Dog Music / The Banana Sessions / Unpeeled)

High Five is a brand new feature where edRock.net gives a "high five" to people we think are doing an awesome job at promoting great Edinburgh music, by asking them to share their top five tunes by local artists, and why they love them.

Smashing the proverbial bottle on the proverbial bow of this feature's maiden voyage is Roberta Pia (aka Roberta Banana). Roberta (pictured) is frontwoman and co-songwriter of "Acid Skiffle" quintet The Banana Sessions, and is the organiser and promoter of musical showcases Unpeeled at The Jazz Bar. In her role as in-house "Dog Evangelist" (marketing?) for musical instrument shop Red Dog Music, she's launched and now edits The Dog magazine, The Red Dog Blog, and has organised regular live events including Hair of the Dog Sundays and The Dog Show. Most recently, Roberta has joined three-part harmony vocal outfit The Bevvy Sisters. Here she gives us her High Five:

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1. William Douglas and the Wheel – Sunshine

Sunshine is one of these tunes that can bring a whole room together. What I like most about it is its simplicity; one verse, one bridge and one chorus. And repeat. And repeat again, if you feel like it. To hear a recording of this song doesn’t really do it justice; it needs to be heard live and with a bunch of people singing along with it. The lyrics are perfect because they encapsulate a moment that everybody can relate to - that moment where you take a look around you and realise that everything is ace and you’re exactly where you want to be. Maybe you’re stoned. Maybe you’re not. Take it literally, take it metaphorically, take it whatever way you like; it’s a tune that, by the last chorus, everyone will be singing along with a massive grin on their face. And I mean everyone.

2. Super Adventure Club – Tommy Sheridan

I love everything about Super Adventure Club, and I think this song says everything that you need to know about them, especially when you see then perform it live. I’ve no idea what most of the lyrics are, but when I do happen to catch them, they come and give me a proverbial punch in the chop. I think what’s amazing about SAC is that they’re mental, and their music is mental, and when you watch people’s faces as they watch SAC live, they almost have a look of wild bewilderment; widened eyes infused with a crazed smile. This tune is hilarious and manic and totally rockin’ and I’m pretty sure, this one time, I saw somebody’s face melt off somewhere around the 1 minute 50 second mark.

3. Austen George – On My Way

I watched two grown heterosexual men fall in love with Austen George once during one of his live shows. Funnily enough, it happened while he was singing this song. On My Way is probably the most heart-melting song I’ve ever heard. It’s a combination of a fantastic chord structure, a hypnotizing melody, a beautiful voice and lyrics that will tug at even the thickest of heart-strings. Honestly, I could say the same thing about every single one of Austen’s songs. You can hear bits of The Beatles in all of them (right up my cuppa tea) but with the magical Austen George touch deeply embedded. I said it once, I’ll say it again, and I’d even say it again after that - he’s magic. Go see him live and I challenge your legs not to turn to jelly. In fact, I dare you.

4. Donna Maciocia - The Nothing & The Numb

The first time I heard this song, it totally floored me. I must have listened to it hundreds of times now and it still has exactly the same effect. I've watched rooms of people go completely silent to this song. I even saw a standing ovation for it once; it's THAT good. I've never heard another piece of music like it before and to see it live is pure mind-blowing. It's the vulnerability of the lyrics that draws you in at first and then, once its lured you in, it begins to soak you in really beautiful harmonies and it layers and layers and it layers and suddenly you'll find yourself completely overwhelmed by how powerful it is. It's pretty loop pedal reliant so you really have to see it in action to "feel the full effect of this" Moochacha classic but I can almost promise you that by the end, you'll be totally speechless and probably in need of a big cuddle. What a tune.

5. Stanley Odd – Broken Has Morning

Stanley Odd’s newest EP The Day I Went Deaf is probably the best record I’ve heard this year. The beats seem to be getting heavier as time goes by, which, in my book, is nothing but a good thing (what can I say, I was raised musically on The Fugees and The Prodigy). My personal stand-out track on this EP is Broken Has Morning - the moment I heard this tune, I fell head over heels in love with it. It’s beautiful and pure filth in equal measures (and by pure filth, I mean pure bangin’). It makes me want to throw shapes on the dancefloor at the same time as sit back, relax and get high, so high. It’s the last 52 seconds that get me the most... I find the mix of the thumping, crackly beats and the ascending, heavenly chords a little overwhelming. One word: goosebumps.

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Upcoming Events:

• 21 Oct 2011: The Banana Sessions supporting Stanley Odd
• 28 Oct 2011: The Banana Sessions 'Jukebox' Music Video Launch
• 3 Nov 2011: Red Dog Music Presents... The Dog's 1st Birthday Party

People - Trashcan Sinatras

The very warm and bright studio sound puts an oil lamp glow over Trashcan Sinatras’ single People, the third single off of their 2009 album In The Music. A melancholy synth-glum Echo and the Bunnyman-influenced verse is followed by a major key love song response with a rich vocal harmony for the chorus refrain “People, people will fall in love”. It’s the sort of chorus where people join hands and sway. There’s a heart-warming understatedness to the single, which makes it easy to listen to but at the same time somewhat mundane and hollow in sentiment. However, the song progresses nicely and the instrumentation is expertly arranged; it’s a tough song to dislike.

Myke Hall

Ever/Girly - Dead Boy Robotics / The Machine Room

Edinburgh's Tape Studio have worked with acts like Amanda Palmer and have two Studer tape machines to make your inner audiophile's mouth water. They've also recently unveiled their new Singles Club. The concept for the Club is simply intermittent releases of split 7" vinyl singles featuring two local artists that Tape have worked with previously. The idea itself had enough potential to attract our attention, but the pairing of Dead Boy Robotics and The Machine Room is a match made in heaven for lovers of electronica-tinged indie.

DEAD BOY ROBOTICS - 'EVER'

Dead Boy Robotics are first up with Ever, taken from their upcoming debut album (which was recorded at Edinburgh's other great treasure trove of analogue equipment, Chamber Studios, then mixed at Tape). DBR have been plugging away for quite some time, with a slot at T in the Park in 2009, a well-received debut EP in 2010, and the album to be delivered later this year, their dark synthesis of electronic loops and guitars becoming more and more defined over time. 'Ever' is a promising glimpse at the upcoming record, strongly evoking Pure Reason Revolution's most recent material with its overlapping vocals and deep synth textures enveloping the solid core of gritty bass and percussion. The song benefits from a fairly unusual structure that stops and starts where lesser songwriters would just keep powering away. 'Ever' is a dense piece of work, at 5 minutes in length and with a deliciously dark character that makes it an unusual choice for a single in some ways, but a great song in its own right. The album it serves as a preview for can only be just as good, and we look forward to hearing it.

THE MACHINE ROOM - 'GIRLY'

The Machine Room, unlike DBR, are newcomers to the Edinburgh scene. They seem to have done pretty well so far in garnering some buzz, and attracted enough attention whilst recording their debut EP at Tape to be included in the Singles Club. Their track, Girly, certainly comes from the brighter, more "indie" shade of the spectrum, especially when compared to 'Ever'. Glittery electronics twinkle over a fairly catchy, delicate vocal line, and the whole thing is quite... well, girly. It definitely feels like more of a "single" than its counterpart, but does a lot less to grab you by the head. That's not to say it is a bad song, however; the production is punchy and the vocals sit at a perfect, inoffensive level, letting the sound fill up during the choruses for an admittedly quite powerful effect, particularly towards the end of the track. The Machine Room do sound like they would be great fun to watch live, and fair play to them to at least hold their own when back to back against Dead Boy Robotics, a unit that has been together longer and been able to really hone a sound of its own. Ultimately, 'Ever' stands out considerably as the better song of the two.

Stewart McLachlan

The Council Wedding Band - Tam's railways

Nine months ago, edRock.net wrote about Tam’s railways official return to the stage as a three-piece, with all new tunes and a tight look. The audience and the band had a very special time together that hot, passionate night. In a way, their debut release The Council Wedding Band was conceived that evening, as now, nine months and one day later, the seeds they planted have grown into a well-developed little body of work with five healthy, pink tracks.

The EP opens with the softly delivered, new wave mid-tempo Let’s Go To Town, which sounds like it’s been recorded by a band in their 40s, and this mildness is a little at odds with the theme of revolution. In spite of this, the track actually sets the tone well for a developed and considered grouping of tunes, it's just surprising for a band who can rock out onstage like CBGB punks.

Barrel of Irony is a bouncy wee rock and roll tune that owes a lot to fellow Leith residents The Proclaimers. The lyrics have a cheeky politically-left facetiousness that, through vocalist/guitarist Leigh’s charismatic delivery comes across as charming and agreeable, especially when the kazoo solo kicks in.

With its sliding bass lines, low frequency oscillating processed guitar that sounds like a synthesiser, and dancey hi-hat beat drums, Man Up the Stairs is a groovy little ditty with an air of introspection and a faint whiff of 80s dance revival.

Cream of the Crop is a clever song, as the structure is reflected in the lyrical theme. As the song describes growing up and your life changing, the song develops through a variety of different musical styles. Careful listeners will hear The Beatles and The Beach Boys in the intro harmonies, Primal Scream-adelica in the bridge, followed by a little a bit of funk in the first verse, and it goes on. When the song gets going, it proves to be the standout track from the album.

Pregnancy jokes aside, this EP certainly represents the culmination of a deliberate relaunch for Tam’s railways, and if they proceed in this direction, these three skilled musicians will achieve the success that they have the potential to achieve. The EP is out today and the band are celebrating with a gig at Sneaky Pete's, including face painting, yes, face painting, and an aftershow party at The Store which will host the debut screening of the band’s brand new music video for Let’s Go To Town. Support is provided by The 10:04s and The Remnant Kings.

Myke Hall

Bootleg: Franz Nicolay - PJ Molloys, Dunfermline 11 May 2011

Franz Nicolay (photo by Last Year's Girl) playing between Ben Marwood and Frank Turner, recorded live at PJ Molloys, Dunfermline on 11 May 2011.

Interviews: Ben Marwood on FreshAir.org.uk Franz Nicolay on Last Year's Girl Frank Turner on FreshAir.org.uk

Plastic Animals @ 'A Dark Spring' EP Launch - Wee Red Bar Edinburgh 8 July 2011

It’s a muggy July evening, and the audience are overheating in the Wee Red Bar in the bowels of Edinburgh Art College, but hey, the beer’s cheap! What else do you need on a night out to see some local bands?

A table of plastic toy animals greets you on entry; it’s quirky, giving the impression that something is going to be different about this band. Waiting for the band to set up, with the rumblings of Primus and other alternative bands from the 90s coming through the PA, the crowd gets in the mood for what promises to be a great set.

A promising board of guitar effects are employed and about to be used by a left-handed guitarist sporting a Status-Quo t-shirt?! What the heck is going on? The crowd are beckoned to come closer, come closer.... and we’re off! Straight into 'Fridge Buzz', a straightforward, no-messin’ early 90s punk/grunge assault reminiscent of Nirvana’s Insecticide/Bleach era with a bit of The Vaselines thrown in. Then we’re immediately into 'Shotgun', with its driving drums, and the audience clearly loves it.

Things slow down a touch for 'Grey Blood' from the band’s EP A Dark Spring (pictured), released on 1st July 2011. Images of speeding around city centres adorn the back of the stage, adding to the effect. This is a track you can lose yourself in, and the lead singer of Plastic Animals clearly enjoys the instrumental parts of this song; at times it’s clear he’s happily in his own special place with his guitar. Kudos also goes to the drummer and bass player who add some great groove-styled atmospherics. The singer combines vocals with the bass player towards the end, bringing the crowd further into that special place with them.

'Green Light', also from the band’s new EP, continues the chilled-out theme with a slightly progressive feel about it. The build-up to the bridge provides swelling harmonies before repeating “hours, hours and hours”. It would be nice to sit in a spot for hours being transported to the world of the Plastic Animals, it’s a shiny place. Green Light builds towards the end with a driving instrumental supported by an excellent bass line.

Next up is 'Gold Medallists', which sees the introduction of a llama head for one audience member. Picture this: an epic sounding melodic trip with someone dancing in a llama head – no drugs required! This is one heck of a melody-based track and definitely a highlight of the set. Plastic Animals are certainly in a league of their own with this track. Superb harmonies inform the crowd, “we keep on falling in the same way.” However, this is a local band in ascendance in Edinburgh and you can’t help but wonder what’s up next for these three not-remotely-plastic animals. Next up is the final track from the EP, 'It Fell Apart'. Again, it’s a slow burner which results in some fantastic use of the guitar board, to end things on a high.

Penultimate track 'Maybe Tomorrow' has a build-up reminiscent of 90s Swedish band Kent and their track '747'. 'Maybe Tomorrow' is one of those tracks that will remind you of how you can daydream about your life. It gives the listener hope that something better will come along tomorrow.

Final track 'Pirate DVDs' brings with it a treat of guitar effects that are never overused. It can be tricky (and tempting) when you’re a guitarist to go too far with your use of effects. Just because they’re there doesn’t mean you should use them all at once. 'Pirate DVDs' includes a well-balanced use of guitar tomfoolery. This is a track that slows the pace right down and then assaults you with a punk- infused firestorm. Superb atmospheric vocals start to loop towards the end and that llama head is seen swinging continuously. It’s almost like a pagan ritual with a llama in charge and the band providing the ultimate audio sacrifice, but hey, if this is how you’ve got to lose your soul then it’s a pretty awesome way to go!

This band are highly recommended, yet another gem in Edinburgh’s music crown. The EP A Dark Spring is available on Bandcamp at a mere £5 for a hard copy, but for that price you also get the digital download so you don’t have to wait for it to hit your letterbox. Their next gig is in Glasgow at Bar Bloc on 10th August. If you’re in Glasgow, get down there and check these guys out.

Now, where’s that llama head...

Amy