There’s a shitload of news today, but let’s start with that naughty bit of the headline, shall we?

The National have announced that an expanded version of High Violet is to be released on November 22nd.  If, like many of us, you own the album already I urge you to download the new material illegally, or email 4AD and demand they send you the tracks for free.  Having initially been lukewarm on this record, I have since come to think of it as one of my favourite of the year, but for fuck’s sake, the fucking thing’s only been out for, what, six months?  Is my version already obsolete, and am I really going to have to buy the whole fucking thing again?  This is grasping huckstersim of the worst kind, and exactly the reason people started to hate the big labels (and George Lucas – in fact, especially George Lucas) in the first place, because cajoling people into buying the same thing again and again is technically referred to as ‘ripping the the right royal fucking piss out of your fanbase’.

Born to Be Wide is at the Electric Circus again on Thursday.  There will be another round of the excellent Charity Shop Disco (where DJs pick records from the Oxfam music shop and you can buy what you hear), as well as round-table chatty stuff based around A&R.  Guests will be Hannah Overton from XL Records, Stewart Henderson from Chemikal, Kenny McGoff from Columbia and Yvonne McLellan from Island.

The Scottish Music Awards are now accepting nominations and submissions and so on for 2011.  Canada has the Junos, darf sarf has the Mercurys, America… well, doesn’t really have anything, and now it seems we will be making a square go of kicking off our own up here. So if you want to submit your stuff or make a suggestion, there are forms at the bottom of the front page of the site.

My Sweeping the Nation interview has just been published, as has one with new blog Five Minutes With… so for those of you who haven’t had quite enough of my incoherent and self-contradictory burbling over here, pop over there to have a quick scan of even more of it.

The Music Alliance Pact was started by Jason from the Pop Cop and recently reached its one-year anniversary.  The Pact itself is a coalition of bloggers, each from a different country, who regularly compile a collective post containing one song each from their respective countries of origin.  Apart from reminding us that decent independent music isn’t all anglophone, it also serves to magnify the reach of Jason’s personal choices several-fold.  Being on a single blog post is one thing, but being featured in the MAP puts you in something like three dozen.  To celebrate, Jason has made a compilation available at the above link, including songs by every band he has featured in the MAP since its formation, many of which are exclusives recorded specifically for the occasion.  Happy birthday!

So there you go.  Honestly, what are the fucking National thinking?  I am tempted to guess that in this case it wasn’t really their choice, more the record label, but of course I really don’t know.  I mean, this is a total piss-take isn’t it?  Can anyone think of a decent excuse for this sort of balls?

As news, it went somewhat neglected on these pages because of personal Toad ties to Broken Records, but at the same time as they were signing to 4AD, another excellent Scottish band were making the same commitment, and announcing an imminent new album at the same time: Camera Obscura.

Let’s Get Out of This Country was a brilliant album, and I am hugely looking forward to the new record.  Let’s… took me a while to get into, in large part due to opening with the slightly misleadingly infectious Lloyd, I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken.  The rest of the album, for all it was still catchy of course, was a lot warmer and more enveloping than bouncy and poppy.  So having been wrong-footed from the start it took me just a little while to adjust.  I went to see them a year or so ago and, amazingly, Mrs. Toad both accompanied me and really enjoyed it.  I honestly never have any idea when that’s going to happen, the woman’s completely unpredictable.

Anyhow, they have also, in advance of the release, decided to pass on the title track of the album to the rest of us as a teaser, and here is it: My Maudlin Career.  It’s certainly classic Camera Obscura, and both that shimmer of piano that tiptoes its way through the song and the return of Tracyanne’s gorgeous voice fill me with optimism. It’s out on the 20th April.

Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career

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Camera Obscura – Super Trouper

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And one from Let’s Get Out of This Country:
Camera Obscura – Razzle Dazzle Rose

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Well, we have a spot of excellent news here: Toad pals Broken Records have signed to one of the best independent record labels around: 4AD.

This is brilliant news for a number of reasons: firstly, they’re lovely guys and I am genuinely delighted for them; secondly, they have worked their arses off this year, at great cost to themselves, in order to play every damn festival and gig known to man and because of the financial crisis they have been messed about quite a few times, so I’m chuffed it’s finally signed and sealed; thirdly, they were one of the first bands I ever ‘spotted’, and indeed gave them their first ever write-up – not that this made any difference in the long term, but it makes me feel good; and fourthly, having them out there and making increasingly big headlines is good for every band in this city as it helps put Edinburgh on the musical map.

It’s very difficult to explain the excitment the first time you hear a brand new band who genuinely, definitely have it, and this was the first time I’d ever felt it.  I remember coming back from that gig absolutely buzzing, and tried really hard to restrain myself from frothing in the review.

They are currently recording their debut album, which is scheduled for release in the Summer.  I couldn’t be happier for the lads and Song, by Toad officially* wishes them the most sincere congratulations.  Can’t wait to hear the album lads, well done.

Broken Records – All So Tired

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*’Officially’?  What the fuck am I talking about?