The Pop Cop - on the beat of Scotland's music scene.: January 2008

Scottish bands can lay claim to raising the bar in many areas of music, but how about producing the most aesthetically pleasing girl in rock?

Her name is Adrienne Giudici and she bangs the drums for POPUP, a Glasgow band whose tunes are none too shabby either we'll have you know.

But fair play to Popup for using their star attraction to their advantage - photos of the 23-year-old Strathclyde Uni student adorn the group's MySpace page and if it leads to drooling lads falling for their cultured indie songs as well as their drummer then everyone's a winner.

If that's whetted your appetite get yourself to Oran Mor on February 15, when £5 will get you a post-Valentines date with Adrienne and Co, as well as the awesome We Were Promised Jetpacks and Jungle Bandits, the latter being Frightened Rabbit's secret pseudonym. Make that former secret pseudonym.

4 Popup - What's The Matter Now?

b February 15, Oran Mor, Glasgow (tickets)

While stuck in heavy traffic yesterday, The Pop Cop observed a remarkable motoring practice that is becoming increasingly popular: the anti-queue jump driver. This admirably egalitarian trend of deliberately crawling on the outside lane to prevent cheating motorists skipping ahead during a tailback (i.e. when vehicles must merge into single file) is proof positive of the power of one.

Somehow we get the impression Edinburgh musician Mike Baillie would share that ethos. The 24-year-old clearly isn't afraid to do things on his terms for the benefit of others, having made a solo album while still in his teens before playing his part in well-loved Scottish bands such as Degrassi and Our Lunar Activities.

Now, he is enjoying the rewards of being in a group that is very much in his own image, BAILLIE & THE FAULT.

The quartet are your honest sort of rock heroes - no gimmicks, just an appreciation of melody and unpretentious songwriting in a Sebadoh meets Goo Goo Dolls kind of way. And when we caught them at King Tut's earlier this month we heard plenty of driving anthems worthy of a place in any car stereo.

4 Baillie & The Fault - Dark Water

b January 29, Barfly, Glasgow (tickets)
b February 28, Nice 'n' Sleazy, Glasgow
b March 9, Henry's Cellar Bar, Edinburgh

New year, new discoveries, right? Well they don't come much fresher out the tin than RAGS & FEATHERS - a band who have been existence, as a live entity anyway, for just three months.

The Pop Cop witnessed the quintet squeeze onto the Nice 'n' Sleazy stage on Wednesday with all manner of stringed instruments to deliver their Belle & Sebastian meets Moldy Peaches repertoire. And it appears that this mighty impressive collective have landed on the Glasgow scene fully-formed.

Main man Tom Davis, ex of Dead Fly Buchowski, clearly has an ear for a right good pop song and a sense of ambition that should see Rags & Feathers become a familiar name on the local circuit in no time at all. So what better way is there to get into the Scottish spirit on Burns Night than by listening to some homegrown sounds and donning a £24.99 kilt from Lidl.

4 Rags & Feathers - Hey Yous

b January 27, The Halt Bar, Glasgow (free)

The concept of ANGUS AND JULIA STONE is simple. Take a pair of siblings and let them share vocal duties and strum acoustic guitars.

However, what makes the Sydney duo unique is that their singing styles are so dissimilar it feels like you are getting two entirely different acts for the price of one. Angus' soft tones are very much in the vain of Tom McRae, while Julia goes for a more idiosyncratic approach and comes across as a less quirky Tori Amos.

Indeed, there are many reasons to go and see Angus And Julia Stone at The Beat Club next month. So here are six...

1. They're very popular in their native country, so the venue will almost certainly be packed with good-looking Aussie expats.

2. They are an authentic brother and sister duo, not like that incestuous White Stripes lot.

3. Natalie Portman is a fan of their music - and she knows her stuff.

4. They are travelling 10,500 miles to play a tiny venue in Scotland. It would be rude not to.

5. Julia Stone sang backing vocals on the Travis song Battleships, so they have an affinity with Glasgow already.

6. Once you've downloaded Mango Tree, you can't help but want to hear a song so beautiful played live.

4 Angus And Julia Stone - Mango Tree

b February 2, The Beat Club, Glasgow (tickets)

According to some scientist trying to justify his research funding expenses, January 21, 2008 is 'Blue Monday' - officially the most depressing day of the year.

Today, you are likely to suffer high fevers and low temperatures, your Christmas credit card bill lands on your doorstep with a thud and your New Year's resolution to join the gym has lost the battle to your five tubs of Pringles per day habit.

The Beat Blue Monday website has come up with suggestions for combating your misery, which include "Try something new," "Pamper yourself" and "Be nice to a stranger" - and after seeing PAUL ALEXANDER at the Liquid Ship on Friday, The Pop Cop reckons listening to the Glasgow singer-songwriter's music covers all three.

Alexander sings warm, mellow acoustic songs that belie his 27 years and he possesses an effortless stage confidence. His side-splitting wit was best summed up while re-tuning his guitar when he simply stated, "Generic mid-song chat". Maybe you had to be there.

Happy Monday, folks!

4 Paul Alexander - Low Or High

THE ROCKET SUMMER make rock music that could only originate from a place whose climate is geographically labelled as "humid subtropical". Hailing from the Texan town of Colleyville, singer Bryce Avary has a habit of writing the kind of good-time pop song that cares more for putting a spring in the step than trying to notch up cool points.

Although Avary effectively is The Rocket Summer (he plays every instrument on recordings), the 25-year-old tours with a band mostly made up of high school friends. If you're a fan of the acts who play on Vans Warped Tours you'll know what thrills await.

The Rocket Summer join a long list of North American groups such as The Academy Is, Plain White T's, Motion City Soundtrack and Yellowcard who all enjoy sizeable and devoted UK fanbases despite almost exclusively plying their trade across the Atlantic - further proof, if it were needed, of the internet's ability to reward those who aren't content to be spoon-fed their daily diet of music.

4 The Rocket Summer - Save

b January 31, King Tut's, Glasgow (sold out)

With major labels like EMI seeing their empires crumbling, one of the knock-on effects that could come out of the meltdown is the possibility of more big artists releasing albums during the month of January.

Traditionally, the start of the year has always been a brief but welcome window for rookie bands to get their songs on the radio due to the complete absence of new material from the usual chart heavyweights. However, this lack of competition may soon be a thing of the past if the big hitters wake up and realise that even a modest amount of January sales brings disproportionately favourable rewards on paper.

For instance, last week's top 40 album chart contained just one new entry, some randomer called Tom Baxter straight in at No.20... and here we are writing about him!

With this in mind, Brighton indie group BRITISH SEA POWER cannily released their third record (Do You Like Rock Music?) on Monday, and it has already accrued more hype than its predecessors combined. Many have compared the album's sound to Arcade Fire, whose old drummer, Howard Bilerman, produced it. But while BSP may be in the right place at the right time, you can't take away from the fact they have made a beast of a record full of grand noise and epic ambition.

4 British Sea Power - Carrion

b January 26, The Arches, Glasgow (tickets)

Congratulations to AMY MACDONALD, whose debut record This Is The Life has just topped the UK album charts for the first time - an impressive six months after it was released.

The Bishopbriggs songstress went way up in our estimation when she accused X-Factor winner Leon Jackson of having "lazyitis" after he pulled out of his Hogmanay gig in Edinburgh.

Clearly, sharing a Scottish nationality doesn't spare you from her sharp tongue but, as The Pop Cop's exclusive investigation shows, Amy is also quite happy to stick the boot into the English, Maroon 5, neds and anything else that takes her fancy.

Before she found fame, the 20-year-old singer used to frequently post on various internet messageboards - and the footprints are permanent. So here for your amusement are links to some of Amy's public thoughts...

Maroon 5: Amy doesn't care much for limp American band

"maroon 5!nooooooo they are sooo rubbish, the front man totally lacks charisma and his voice is sooo boring"

Likes/Dislikes: Amy gets personal
"Favourite Person: Dougie Payne"
"Makes Me Sad: Neds"

Recruitment: Amy and her pal Emma advertise for band members with a post entitled "Fancy a jam" in 2004
Fellow poster's reply: "Strawberry?"

Horny: Amy meets Travis and then, er, takes pictures of herself in her bedroom
"Im so unbelievably bored. wish i had a nice guy to snuggle with.lol"

Patriot: Amy loves the Scots

"the anti-scottish comments anger me. Where would you be without the scots? twiddling your fuckin thumbs."

Auld Enemy: Amy hates the English

"The english, what can i say.... gracious losers????????? hahahahahahahaha what was that? "we will beat france when we meet them in the final!!" stupid ar.seholes"
and
"maybe look up, "arrogant, english ars.eholes" there will be a wee picture of english fans there for you. Pictures may be better for you."
and
"You country's fans suck. End of. "
and
"Your country has nothing. NOTHING!! Absolutly nothing to be proud of!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Strumpet: Amy parades herself in a skimpy vest
"I am so jealous of everyone's sexy black and white pics. Black and white looks soooo coool. here goes......"

Pirate: Amy didn't pay for her copy of Change by The Lightning Seeds
"i used limewire and just downloaded it the other day"

Daylight robbery: Amy reveals just how much mark-up is on albums

"Do you [know] that to make an album which we pay £12.99 or sumthin for it cos 50p to make, 50 fuckin p, and thts the case the booklet the inlay the cd! RIP OFF"

Freedom: And finally, just to confirm that Amy won't mind you not paying for one of her songs from The Pop Cop
"Downloading doesnt affect bands or artists, it promotes them"

4 Amy Macdonald - Youth Of Today

b February 24, Town Hall, Paisley (sold out)

b February 25, Music Hall, Aberdeen (sold out)
b February 26, Ironworks, Inverness (sold out)

b February 27, Concert Hall, Perth (sold out)

b May 14, Queens Hall, Edinburgh (tickets)

b May 23, Carling Academy, Glasgow (tickets)

Being in a full-time band is a bit like being a professional footballer. Both trades clearly come into the 'dream job' category and getting paid to be adored by fans who worship your every move probably beats working in insurance.

But the reality of this kind of fame comes at a hefty price - career longevity. Or lack of it, to be precise. The high of playing gigs to thousands of people - or chasing a ball for 90 minutes if you want to keep the analogy going - doesn't last much longer than those youthful good looks.

Such is the lifespan of bands these days that musicians who think they've 'made it' after signing a record deal will rarely earn enough money to set themselves up for a future of indulgent spa breaks and Ferrero Rocher-eating. Indeed, by the time they realise nobody cares about their music anymore (or, worse still, continually shout for the "early stuff") you can be sure they'll harbour regrets about having never gotten round to writing that royalty-friendly Christmas hit.

The glorious exception to the rule goes by the name of TEENAGE FANCLUB. Incredibly, 2008 is the 20th year of the Glaswegian group's existence and time hasn't cruelly diminished the public's desire to buy tickets to watch four 40-somethings play pop music.

The Fannies have spent pretty much their entire adult lives making the art of songwriting look easy and for that we salute them.

4 Teenage Fanclub - Sparky's Dream

b January 26, Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow (tickets)

If any band ever deserved a right good shake it would surely be THE FUTUREHEADS. Only they could explain why their eponymous debut album was as gratifying as its follow-up, News And Tributes, was grim.

When the Mackems introduced their wares to the world in 2004 - just a few months after Franz Ferdinand had turned dancefloors into pantheons of spiky art pop - the indie crowd rejoiced in the unfailingly merry Decent Days And Nights, the riff-roaring charms of Meantime and, lest we forget, their version of Kate Bush's Hounds Of Love which is still be up there with the best covers heard this decade.

But two years later, the jaunty pop of Skip To The End - the lead single for News And Tributes - proved a complete red herring for what was an otherwise joyless and often tuneless dirge of an album that saw them unceremoniously but unsurprisingly dropped by their label barely five months after its release.

Indeed, The Pop Cop is still haunted by the experience of seeing The Futureheads touring the record at the Carling Academy in Glasgow, where poor ticket sales had forced promoters to insist all punters went downstairs to see a performance so lacking in passion that many fans left vowing never to return.

Consequently, the quartet's third stab at fame will be greeted with inevitable trepidation. Early signs are promising, though, as The Beginning Of The Twist is classic Futureheads, all instant melodies and killer harmonies. But it'll take a lot more of the same to win back the doubters.

4 The Futureheads - The Beginning Of The Twist (radio rip)

b January 24, Strathclyde Student Union, Glasgow (tickets)

Freshly fallen snow, water from a mountain stream, Bambi... none of these are half as pure as the voice of CARA DILLON.

Remarkably, we fell in love with Cara before we even discovered what she looks like (sorry if we've spoiled the surprise for any visitors to The Pop Cop who are reading about her for the first time). Hers is the most alluring of raw talent and listening to Cara sing is as seductive as a hot bath on a cold day... or a cold beer on a hot day.

The Irish singer manages to make traditional folk classics sound unstuffy without losing any of the drama or weight of their historical importance. Indeed, on Cara's albums they sit so seamlessly next to her own songs you probably won't be able to tell which ones have been passed down the generations.

Do yourself a favour and get tickets to see this fine specimen of a creature at Glasgow's Celtic Connections festival - with her lilting accent and natural charm, you can't help but be left smitten.

4Cara Dillon - Garden Valley

b January 31, Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow (supporting Luka Bloom)

Pouring the contents of your broken heart into lyrics comes with the territory of being a songwriter. But when New York singer James Levy followed this well-worn path by donating his tales of woe (not to mention his name) to the band LEVY, it didn't half make for some eye-popping celebrity scandal.

Beneath the Coldplay-esque melodies and warm vocals of Levy's 2005 debut album Rotten Love is found the story of a bizarre indie love triangle and a bitter man indeed. And the targets of James' wrath are none other than his then (now ex) girlfriend, Regina Spektor, and the man he suspects she cheated on him with, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes.

Clearly the thought of just how beautiful the generously cheekboned pair's children would be took a back seat on You Be Sweet when he begs to Regina: "You be sweet, don't cheat, turn around on me" before continuing, "Julian, oh Julian, out with you. It's truly a sin to be a has-been of a has-been".

There's more crazed jealousy on In The Woods as James sings: "She told me that he's just a friend. I told her that he's just a trend. Don't tell me that you love me if you don't know why. I see you kissing him through the window outside."

If you need evidence that Regina was indeed the object of James' affections, you'll find her outed in Rotten Love's title track...

4 Levy - Rotten Love

b January 16, Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh
b January 17, Barfly, Glasgow

Hot tips, the next big things, ones to watch, new kids of the block... whatever you want to call it, The Pop Cop has come up with 16 sweet acts who we think should be the soundtrack to your 2008.

It would have easy to give you an obvious list of overhyped newcomers (Foals, Adele... yawn) whose path to fame has already been pre-determined by wealthy marketing executives, but you deserve better.

Instead, we have a mixture of musicians who are in various stages of their careers - from the unsigned to the underrated - but all equally as deserving of your love and support.

CAJUN DANCE PARTY - What are the actual kids listening to? It must be The Kooks and The Go! Team since these London schoolies are a perfect hybrid of the two. Admirably, CDP's debut album won't come out until they've finished their A-Levels.
4 Amylase

CRASH MY MODEL CAR - The Glasgow via Lewis band have a bit of the Snow Patrols about them, what with their easy way with a melody and a polished sense of purposefulness. Having seen them at Nice 'n' Sleazy last month, we can tell you first-hand that their live shows are a riot.
4 In Dreams
b January 31, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
b February 1, Cafe Mambo, Aviemore
b February 2, Market Bar, Inverness
b February 8, Twa Tams, Perth
b February 9, Cafe Drummonds, Aberdeen
b February 10, The Dog House, Dundee

DEVIN DAVIS - Criminally underexposed singer-songwriter from Chicago with a feisty repertoire of choruses just waiting to be lapped up.
4 Iron Woman

DOVEMAN - Genteel, romantic pop from the New Yorker otherwise known as Thomas Bartlett. He lent his magic touch to The National's Boxer album too.
4 Dancing

DUFFY - The Welsh girl is a cert to be a household name by the time her debut album hits the shops in March. Despite her 23 years, her voice has the grace and drama of a 60s soul singer - perhaps Amy dropped her first name to minimise inevitable comparisons with you-know-who. The blonde beauty's recent performance of classic-in-waiting Warwick Avenue was the best thing we've seen on Jools Holland in years.
4 Rockferry
b February 23, King Tut's, Glasgow

EVAN CRICHTON - After an exceedingly accomplished introduction to his solo career with the Bright Our Broken Days mini-masterpiece, we can't wait to discover what the Edinburgh singer has up his sleeve next.
4 Shine For Me, Hal

HELLO SAFERIDE - Stockholm native Annika Norlin will serenade you with her acoustic guitar and possesses a lyrical turn of phrase that melts hearts. The fact she sings in her second tongue makes her quirky English pronunciations all the more endearing.
4 Get Sick Soon

JACK'S MANNEQUIN - If you want music to change your life, look no further. What started as Andrew McMahon's piano-rock side-project soon outgrew his original band (Something Corporate) thanks to Everything In Transit, an album we'd put in our top 10 of all time - it really is that good. It would make our year if its forthcoming follow-up, The Glass Passenger, sees Jack's Mannequin tour the UK for the first time.
4 Holiday From Real

LOOK SEE PROOF - Probably the most straightforward indie band on our list, you can almost guarantee you'll be hearing the Hertfordshire quartet on the festival circuit this summer.
4 Local Hero

MATT POND PA - The Philadelphia group have slowly but surely been building up an oeuvre of honest pop for a decade, so there's plenty in their back catalogue to investigate once you've fallen under their spell for the first time.
4 Snow Day

RODDY HART - Glasgow's answer to Bruce Springsteen has a new album due out this year. Will it be the one that deservedly thrusts him into the mainstream? We'd put our house on it.
4 One Thousand Lives

THE FORMAT - Nate Ruess, frontman of this boundlessly energetic Arizona band, has the kind of voice that was made to belt out power-pop classics. You'll soon wonder where they've been all your life.
4 The First Single (Cause A Scene)

THE LITTLE ONES - Skewed harmony-driven songs from the LA good-time guys who are taking a pretty decent stab at making a name for themselves in the UK before tackling their homeland. Well, if it worked for The Strokes and The White Stripes...
4 Let Them Ring The Bells

THE WALLBIRDS - Equal parts The Dubliners, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, these Doncaster folk-rock funsters have to be seen live to truly appreciate their giddy charms.
4 Desperate

VAMPIRE WEEKEND - We'll eat our cat if the New Yorkers' debut album proper isn't in our best of 2008 list at the end of the year. If you got ahold of their widely distributed Blue CD-R demo record, the only song that will be new to you is M79 - a devilishly catchy orchestral tune which just confirms how unimaginative every other white-boy guitar band is in comparison.
4 M79

WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS - The Edinburgh/Glasgow/Stirling rockers are on to a winner with their atmospheric anthems. Moving Clocks Run Slow was one of our favourite songs of 2007 but Quiet Little Voices is probably the one you'll end up singing along to when you least suspect it.
4 Quiet Little Voices
b January 17, Oran Mor, Glasgow
b February 7, Henry's Cellar Bar, Edinburgh
b February 9, The Lot, Edinburgh
b February 21, Snafu, Aberdeen

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The Popup pin-up: is this the prettiest girl in rock?

Monday, January 28, 2008

Kick out the jams

Friday, January 25, 2008

Rags... to riches?

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Two for the price of Stone

Monday, January 21, 2008

Alexander the Great

Friday, January 18, 2008

Putting the spring into Summer

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

January sales

Monday, January 14, 2008

The secret internet life of UK's No.1 artist

Friday, January 11, 2008

Teenage kicks

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Back to the Futureheads

Monday, January 07, 2008

Aural pleasure

Friday, January 04, 2008

Bizarre Levy triangle

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

The cream of the pop