Kristin Update

I confess that I’ve been neglecting Kristin Hersh of late. As you may know, Kristin is one of the great proponents of the web as a way for musicians to earn a living and has been giving her songs away on the web for almost 2 years now.

The aim of the free music is essentially to put Kristin’s music out there for people to hear.She once remarked that far more people had heard of her band (Throwing Muses) than had actually heard anything by them.

Her activities are financially supported by a subscription service, without which she confesses she would not be able to make music. Her next regular LP, the follow-up to ‘’ is due in the autumn and will be based on her last year’s ‘Speedbath’ batch of songs. However it looks like it will not simply be last year’s songs gathered together. K is already well advanced with her next set of songs and it seems that some of these will be on the release as well.

I’m ashamed to say that until the other night, I only had the first two. Yet latest tune ‘Glass’ is her eighth post-‘Speedbath’ release this year. Anyhow whilst I’m trying to digest this big batch of new material here’s a link to the latest KH release:

Kristin Hersh – Glass

The 3Bs – Bissett

It’s been difficult to keep things ticking over on here recently and it may be that if anyone is waiting for something then it’s not a book review. But that’s what you’re getting.

Not that Alan Bissett’s ‘Death of a Ladies Man’ is lacking in musical credentials. His previous books have all had their own particular sound tracks and ‘DoaLM’ is no different. In fact it’s positively dripping with indie street cred featuring as it does references to Zoey van Goey and Malcolm Middleton on its very first page.

The soundtrack to this novel would be a mighty fine one but the music is largely peripheral to the emotional thrust of the novel even if one of the key incidents happens at the ABC in Glasgow. More of that later.

The novel’s main protagonist is teacher Charlie Bain, indie music fan and sex addict. It’s fair to say that he does not treat the women in his life well. However unlike one heavily critical reviewer, I still found myself rooting for Charlie hoping that he would turn things around.

The afore mentioned incident at the ABC (watching Sons and Daughters and Y’All Is Fantasy Island don’t you know) is when things really start falling apart as Charlie’s coke fuelled antics start to catch up with him. The question is which of the women in his life will help get him back on track. Girfriend Julie? Long term friend Nadine? His mum? Or even star pupil Monise? The longer the book goes on the more options it seems close off for Charlie.

Although it’s very funny in places, it’s an uncomfortable read in others. Compared to ‘The Incredible Adam Spark’ which also balances light and dark, ‘Death of A Ladies Man’ is far far darker. Yet it is a compelling read even if it eschews any easy way out.

Read it. [Buy it]

A tune mentioned in the book:

Isa & The Filthy Tongues, Twa Tams, Perth

Isa & The Filthy Tongues, Twa Tams, Perth – Saturday 5th September 2009

Isa and the Filthy Tongues were building up to a rare London appearance when I saw them on Saturday night at the Twa Tams in Perth. It was my first time at the Twa Tams and initial impressions were a little confusing as to where the actual venue is. But it turns out to be a compact but decent sized room behind the main bar which is set up far better than many pub type gigs.

Much of what I’ve written before about the Filthy Tongues applied to this show. The band are a terrifically tight set of musicians with Martin Metcalfe’s guitar complemented by the rhythm section of Derek Kelly and Fin Wilson. Unusually perhaps, the sound set-up featured the guitar and vocals above the rhythm section and whilst I’m sure we’ve all seen shows with the guitars drowned in the mix, this time I could have lived with a little more of the bass and drums!

The band started in a fairly low key way – with Metcalf seated at the back of the stage it’s not clear initially if they had actually started or were just doodling as a late sound-check but as things came together Martin came forward to sing a MacKenzies number.

Thereafter the early part of the set was dominated by songs from LP ‘Addiction’ with newer songs and the odd Mackenzies classic thrown in to the mix in the latter stages. There were fewer new songs than in Edinburgh but one added since, ‘Suicide Pimp’ sounded pretty good. ‘Big Blue Eyes’ on second listen is very much a worthy successor to the songs on the first LP and it was great too to hear ‘New Town Killers’ live for the first time.

The overall impression was that the new songs extend the band’s repertoire and augur well for the second LP, which may be due as early as next month.

I’ve probably said this before but the Filthy Tongues are undoubtedly one of these bands who deserve a much bigger audience than they’re currently attracting.

The video for an early highlight:

And Saturday’s setlist, minus the opening number (and there were no encores either).

Life Goes On

Former De Rosa main man Martin John Henry hasn’t been letting the grass grow under his feet since the band split a couple of months back. Regular Twitter updates have documented a busy spell of songwriting and recording and some of the results are available on his Myspace.

There are a couple of new demos, including the cracking ‘Woodilee Song’. But you can actually get a hold of a physical copy of his second official solo release which, like his first, features on a compilation LP.He’s recorded a version of the Beatles’ ‘Because’ for Mojo’s cover CD ‘Abbey Road Now’, which comes with the October issue. So it should be available in the shops for a wee while yet if you want to track it down.

Whilst the demos (and cover) are all acoustic based, Martin has hinted that that’s not necessarily true of all the material he’s been writing.

Martin has also announced a trio of live dates in the next few weeks. He’s playing the Merchant City Festival in Glasgow on 27th September, details to be confirmed, the Captain’s Rest, also in Glasgow on 3rd October and the SOUND Festival at the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen on 20th November.

Check out his Myspace here.