[After his highly successful stint Toadsitting while we were away on holiday, Euan returns to write what is going to become a monthly column in our new Sunday Supplement section.  You can find more of his stuff on his blog, at his gigs or with his band, so please go and have a sniff.]

“The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool.”

This quote is taken from the film Almost Famous about a young music fan who, by accident, ends up on the road with a rock band, documenting their every move for Rolling Stone magazine and living out his wildest dreams. It’s still one of my favourite films, if for nothing else, the legendary Tiny Dancer moment, possibly more to do with Kate Hudson though. Anyways, the quote above is at a point in the movie when Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character Lester Bangs is giving advice to a naïve and young William Miller about music, musicians, journalism and ultimately life. It became quite an important statement in my life, firstly because I am highly uncool. And secondly because sharing music and wanting to involve everyone in the music I love has, over the years, become the currency in which I deal most. Mix tapes for the ladies that I had a fancy for. Mix CDs for friends, force-feeding them the music they didn’t know, or love, but in my head should. Sharing a love of music. It was important when I was 15 and is as important today as it was back then. Fuck, lets be honest, we’re all using this site ultimately because we share a love of music and not for the witty remarks of the likes of Matthew and Dylan! It’s one of the best feelings when you share music and people get it. It’s what makes it great being a musician and also writing about music which you love.

Recently Mr Toad (another highly uncool individual I should add) reviewed a gig by Willard Grant Conspiracy. I made a comment on his site that I had never heard anything by this artist, though I knew of them and felt that he was an artist which I would love and should know more about. As a result, Matthew made me a cd of what he considers to the finest moments of Willard Grant Conspiracy or, if you prefer, an introduction the music of the artist. Whilst I was babysitting songbytoad during Matthew’s holiday to Italy I did an “introducing” piece on Elliott Smith as Mr Toad had little knowledge of the man. I guess the Willard Grant Conspiracy cd was his way of returning the favour. And I’m glad he did. There’s a bit of Richmond Fontaine in there, a large chunk of Nick Cave and a nice little touch of Sparklehorse. All mixed together to produce Willard Grant Conspiracy.

But ultimately, this is not a review of Willard Grant Conspiracy or the mix cd Matthew made me. No, this is more about the brilliance that is sharing music. Sharing musicians you love. Just sharing. So, I’m going to encourage you all to write a piece about your favourite artists. How you came to love them. What it is that makes them so special to you. Anything you want, about anyone you want. And I’m going to ask you to send them to me at trampolinemusic@gmail.com Whilst I don’t write full time for Matthew, I do have my own blog over at The Steinberg Principle and I would like to publish the pieces sent to me as a series of “Introducing” pieces. So yeah, if you find a spare 5 or 10 minutes in your day, if you’re bored at work, or if you actually just like this idea, send me your thoughts and I will post them on my site from time to time.

Well then, one more Friday five and I believe that’s Dylan, Bart and myself done. I for one have really enjoyed myself these past 2 weeks and will now skulk off back to my own blog and leave this site to the master himself!  But if you have enjoyed the music I’ve posted about then please do come and say hello from time to time as there’s a lot more of that kind of thing going on over at my site.  Anyways, big thanks to Matthew for trusting me to be part of this.  Hopefully he’ll be relieved to return from Italy to find his site still in tact and pleasantly surprised about the quality of posting.   For all the fun it was winding him up about what we were going to do to his site in his absence it was never anyone’s intention to do anything other than post some quality music.  I have taken this opportunity to get bands that I love, and that perhaps don’t get enough wider media coverage, out to a wider audience.  Hopefully I’ve managed that.  However, before I return to the world of simply commenting on this site rather than posting I will leave you with some great tunes by some wicked artists in a Matthew styled podcast except without the insane ramblings, just good music.  Enjoy.

These Icey Waters – Adrian Crawley

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Old Devils – William Elliott Whitmore

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I Want To Be Someone When I Die – Team Turnip

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The Ongoing Debate Concerning Present Vs Future – Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson

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Erla’s Waltz – Olafur Arnalds

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Jocky Venkataraman is an intriguing proposition.  I have been informed that he is one of Frightened Rabbit’s favourite artists, having recently appeared as a support act at their sold out acoustic show at the Captain’s Rest.  Well, having digested this album a couple of times, which you can download for free here, it’s safe to say that he’s found a pretty fond spot with me as well.  I’ve never seen him live, though I am now eager to do so, and this is indeed my first exposure to his music but there’s something of the Daniel Johnston’s about his music and that really can never be a bad thing.  Perhaps it’s the genius lyrical content which makes him stand out from the crowd?  Perhaps it’s the almost child like delivery of the vocals?  Or perhaps it that there are a lot of really catchy tunes on this record, which make it instantly appealing.  This record is quirky and diverse to say the least.  It’s challenging for sure.  ButI think it’s a gem.  He releases his second LP ‘Motorways Died Young/This is Not Food, This Isn’t Even Food’ through Glasgow label Wiseblood Industries this year. You’re either going to love this or hate it.  Either way,  enjoy.

Parcel People (Xmas Eve)

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Airport Marches – Jocky Venkataraman

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Never Gets Dark In June – Jocky Venkataraman

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Sometimes people come into your life and touch you with their music in a way that’s hard to explain.  Sometimes they write more miserable songs than you.  Sometimes they smoke like a chimney.  Sometimes they write the most heart wrenching tunes imaginable.  Sometimes they are from Paisley.  Sometimes they just happen to be one of the most important people you’ve met through music.  Sometimes they deserve much, much more media attention than they get.  Sometimes you get the opportunity to write about them and let a wider audience know about them.  Sometimes these things happen.  Sometimes they don’t. 

Small Town Boredom are Fraser McGowan and Colin Morrison who create ‘ whiskey soaked tales of loss & longing providing constant reminders of what was & what could have been.’  They have a new album out sometime in the future (not sure what date as yet – probably a year away knowing Fraser!) entitled ‘Notes From The Infirmary’.  I have been told by Fraser that I’m not allowed to review it on pain of death, or perhaps just some mild bodily harm.  Given his Paisley roots, I have no intention of breaking my word.   However, I do have a track to let you hear from the new album called ‘Void Lighting’ and can confirm that the album is brilliant.  I will also post a track from their wonderful debut album ‘Autumn Might Have Hope’ for your enjoyment.    This record was as Fraser describes ‘a testament to sorrow and self pity, a brutally truthful account of a functioning alcoholic and the loss of his so called loved ones.’  It’s content may be dark but the music is simply breathtaking.

I met Fraser through Bart, who as it happens plays for STB live and also appears on the new record and yet strangely has not heard it yet.  Fraser works in mysterious ways!  Anyways,  he has recorded a number of demo’s for me in the past and we’ve become really good friends over the years.  He even named his son after me.  Joke Fraser!  Anyways, Small Town Boredom are a wonderful band who deserve so much more.  The chorus of ‘Void Lighting’ gives me goosebumps.  Genius.  Under-rated genius.

Void Lighting – Small Town Boredom

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Well now, I’ve already written about this album over at The Steinberg Principle but my readership is not anywhere near that of Mr Toad and I love this record, so I want to share it with you all.  This has been an interesting 2 weeks for me because I don’t really feel that the music I am writing about will necessarily appeal to the wider readership of songbytoad.  When Matthew first asked me to do this, I must admit that I was a little apprehensive.  This site doesn’t really cater for the majority of music that I love.  Nothing highlights this more than Matthew’s lack of knowledge of Elliott Smith.  So yes, I was apprehensive but I decided that perhaps I was being silly.  I love all sorts of music, so why wouldn’t the wider readership of songbytoad?  So it was with this mindset that I decided to proceed and hopefully the music I’ve been posting isn’t all miserable crap that nobody likes!

Anyways,  Finn is a German singer songwriter, please stay with me despite this, called Patrick Zimmer and is signed to Erased Tapes – home of the sublime Olafur Arnalds.   ‘The Best Low-Priced Heartbreakers You Can Own’ is his third album but is the first thing by him that I came across, mostly thanks to him being support to Olafur Arnalds on his last tour of the UK, and it’s a gem of an album.  There are 16 tracks on this album, which is a lot.  Or it seems a lot, but many of the tracks are short interludes and many of the songs themselves register under 3 and a half minutes in length.  The delicate beauty of this record is hard to describe.   But what really makes the record come to life are the lovely arrangements and intelligent intrumentation.  The handclaps at the end of ‘Julius Caesar’ are just the perfect end to a wonderful song though completely unexpected – perhaps why they make such an impact.  Finn’s voice is also something special and his use of 2 vocals on many songs, one an octave higher than the other, is a lovely touch which adds beautifully to the dynamics.  The name of this record could not be more prefect.  Go out and buy it and let Finn touch your heart.

Dew – Finn

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Julius Caesar – Finn

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Well now, I’m in the mood for this!  Given Matthew’s admitance last week that he knew very little about Elliott Smith I thought it would be a good idea to write about him and to play some tunes by him,  for his benefit upon his return from holiday, for those of you who have little knowledge of him, and also for everyone who reads this site and loves his music.  Cause let’s be honest, there’s never a point when you can have had too much Elliott Smith now is there?

I guess there’s no point delving into his tragic death – was it murder or was it suicide?  I guess we’ll never know, but his death shook me to my core because he was one of the most important musicians for me growing up and still is essential listening for me.  I’ve been listening to him since I was at school and there’s not a huge amount of artists I can say that about.   Whilst Kurt Cobain’s death shocked me, Elliott Smith’s death totally saddened me.  Thinking that he’ll never produce new material is quite a disappointment, but then fortunately we have plenty of amazing material to enjoy from his all too short life .  I think it was Mr Bear who said last week that there are no bad Elliott Smith albums, let alone mediocre.  And I completely agree.

The starting point for me was XO, his 4th studio album working my way back through Either/Or, his self titled album and his debut Roman Candle. I remember his 5th album Figure 8 coming out when I was living in the Netherlands and making my way to the indie record store to get my hands on it.  I remember this particularly well as Mule Variations by Tom Waits and Come On Die Young by Mogwai came out about the same time.  These 3 albums are still 3 of my favourites – though my copy of Figure 8 has gone missing since.  If anyone borrowed it off me could I get it back please, I will buy another copy, but that one had sentimental value!  And then we have his final album From the Basement On the Hill, which was never actually finished by Smith himself prior to his death.  And finally his pothumus release New Moon, a collection of rareities and b-sides from the Either/Or, XO period of his life.

None of these albums is bad.  Not one.  I love them all.  But if I had to pick one that has stuck with me then it would definitely be my starting point of XO.  This was the first time that he truly fleshed out his songs.  The bare bones and stripped back lo-fi of the first 3 albums was replaced with a more produced sound and fuller use of instrumentation on this particular album and was the change in direction that would continue on both Figure 8 and From a Basement on a Hill.  I think most fans are divided at this point.  They either love Either/Or and everything before it or XO and everything after it.  I fall into the second bracket.  However, I do love the first 3 albums as well.

Anyways, this post was never about whats better or whats worse because its a moot point.  He simply was a genius and I love everything he’s done.  His music deserves to be heard by everyone and he should be more widely credited for the wonderful albums he produced.  So please, sit back, relax and enjoy a variety of his tunes.

No Name#1 from the album Roman Candle – Elliott Smith

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Ballad of Big Nothing from the album Either/Or – Elliott Smith

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Waltz#2 from the album XO – Elliott Smith

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Twilight from the album From a Basement on the Hill – Elliott Smith

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And here’s one for you, taken from New Moon in an early state, but later used on the sound track for Good Will Hunting and nominated for an Oscar for best original song in 1997.

Miss Misery (early version) – Elliott Smith

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Michael John McCarthy is a very talented young man.  As well as being one third of the highly rated Glasgow popsters Zoey Van Goey (though not my favourite third!) he is also the accordian player for Adian Moffat’s Best Ofs.  Well, on top of all this he’s found time, in his no doubt ridiculously busy schedule, to record and release a mini album under the name Radio Trees.  The album is FREE to download over at Wiseblood Industries a mega cool Glasgow indie label run by Adam Stafford of Y’all Is Fantasy Island fame and soon to be home of The Kays Lavelle!  Anyways, there will be more info on the Kays album later in this 2 week run of mine, but for now lets focus on this little piece of Alt.pop beauty that is Outside World Strategies Vol.1.  There are a lot of lovely pop songs on this but this is far from straight up pop.  There’s beatboxing, instrumentals, accordian, blues piano and some real vibes going on in there - ‘Keep Your Stick To The Ice’ actually reminds me, musically at least, of the Fun Lovin Criminals!  So yeah, I’m finding it hard to pin this down to any one particular style but I am really, really enjoying it.  It’s got to be a definite for all the Zoey Van Goey fans out there for sure.  It shows time and time again that MJ has a brilliant ear for a melody and for that pop hook which I guess is why Zoey Van Goey are doing so well and getting so much positive recognition.  Don’t over look this mini album though and make sure you get across to The Kays Lavelle’s new record labels website and download this record.  hehehe.  Sorry, that still makes me smile!  Anyways, the blurb on wiseblood’s website suggests that this will appeal to fans of Sparklehorse, Okkervill River and early Neutral Milk Hotel.  As a fan of all of these bands, I am inclined to agree, but this should appeal to a wide sprectrum of music fans,  those who like shimmering pop and those who like it a little edgier alike.  Enjoy.

Old Folks – Radio Trees

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Haunted – Radio Trees

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Beerjacket.  Wow, what a name.  Imagine if we had such things. Would they be jackets with a beer in every pocket?  Or would it be a jacket made of the same material as arm bands but instead of being inflated by air they would inflate when filled with beer?  This would obviously come with a handy straw for regular refreshment purposes.  We’d then need filling stations though, similar to those catering for automobiles, but instead of petrol pumps we’d have beer pumps.  What a glorious world it would be!  Unfortunately there are no such things.  However, on the flip side this beerjacket is equally as glorious.  This is like Elliott Smith never died.   This is lo-fi pop music at its very, very best.   This is a glorious end to a tiring Wednesday.

Beerjacket is the pseudonym of Glasgow singer songwriter Peter Kelly.  He’s no stranger to big gigs having opened shows for the likes of The National, Bat For Lashes, Guillemots and Rilo Kiley.  And yet, this is the first time I’ve stumbled across him with the release of his album ‘Anomosity’.  He evokes memories of early Elliott Smith and of Bright Eyes at his best, with this collection of 3 minute pop gems.  In fact, no track on the album is over 3 and a half minutes in length and if anything this emphasises the links to early Smith albums.  But that’s not a criticism by any means as this is a great listen and there is a space in my heart for somebody stepping up to the plate and delivering the quality of heart wrenching music attributed to the late, great Elliott Smith.  From the sounds of this, Beerjacket seems up for the challenge and I look forward to hearing more from this artist.  The album can be downloaded from all the usual places, though I believe the album launch is happening in Glasgow as I write with the physical release being available as of tomorrow.  Anyways, in the meantime, I’ve chosen a selection of tunes from the album for your listening pleasure and hope you enjoy this as much as I am.

Drum – Beerjacket

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Screaming Hallelujah – Beerjacket

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And here’s one of my all time favourite Elliott Smith songs cause I’m in that mood now.

Between the Bars – Elliott Smith

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Ok, so We Sink Ships are not a band and The Ghost You Left Behind is not the name of an album or EP.  We Sink Ships are 2 wonderfully talented photographers in the shape of Heidi Kuisma and Neil Milton and The Ghost You Left Behind is the name of their latest online exhibition that can be viewed here.  I have known Heidi for sometime now and am a big fan of her photographs regularly visiting We Sink Ships and her own photo page on Flickr to check out her latest work.  The latest online exhibition, I think you will agree, is simply stunning.  And even better knews is that the pair of them are having their first “real world” exhibition at the 13th Note in Glasgow.  And if it can get even better, they are holding a launch night at the 13th Note on Monday 6th July with live music in the form of Hindle Wakes, Call To Mind and the wonderful, wonderful Debutant.   Anyways, I thought it would be nice to let you guys explore out some quality photography over at their site.  But before you do enjoy the wonderful sounds of Debutant.

Means to an end – Debutant

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I recently mentioned on one of the many threads on this blog that Sparrow and the Workshop fuck me up in so many positive ways.  Well here’s another bunch from Glasgow that fuck me up in so many wonderful ways.  I cannot actually describe how much I am loving the 2 tunes that they sent me this evening.  I had heard one of the tracks on Glasgowpodcart, a wonderful little pod cast based in Glasgow and run by an exceptionally lovely bunch of people.  The first moment I heard this tune I knew this band were for me.  I am quite frankly surprised not to have read about them on these pages before now – I have checked and see no record of any reviews of the band either on record or live to date.  Anyways, they are releasing their eponymous debut album on 1st July.   Neither of the tunes I am about to post are on the album.  In fact, the guys told me themselves that they think everything on the album is better than these 2 tracks – which is pretty impressive if you ask me!    And they are making waves.  Already being touted as the next big guitar band to come out of Glasgow they have drawn the obvious comparisons to the Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit.  Personally, bar a strong Glasgow accent, I don’t hear it.  There is something more intricate about this band.  Just something more melodic, atmospheric.  I am excited.  I get excited about a lot of Scottish bands, but this album is going to be bought the day it comes out, it’s going to be played until my ears can’t take anymore and I am going to get them at Trampoline as soon as I can - as long as they want to play of course!  Great stuff from a band with the potential to do great things in the second half of 2009.  Lets hope they do.

Foreign Thoughts – There Will Be Fireworks

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White Noise – There Will Be Fireworks

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