Yes, that is the new Toad t-shirt, which can be purchased here, and bears the inspiring and uplifting slogan ‘Up yours, Eagletits.’

Well there’s been some good live music recently, and last night was another excellent Limbo night.  All three bands were really good and even though it was a late one, there wasn’t an excessive amount of drunkenness, so apart from being rather tired I actually feel pretty reasonable this morning.  Quick question for you all, in advance of the Friday Fives – even though it’s now woefully late, would you appreciate a live review of Mitchell Museum and one of David Thomas Broughton from a couple of weeks ago?  Or is timeliness next only to godliness in these matters?

I am going to have the Samamidon session up tomorrow, by hook or by crook.  This may well involve a very, very late night with gallons of gin tea, but I am determined to get it up there and start on the Pictish Trail one.

Tomorrow I shall be wandering along to the Meursault in-store at Avalanche, and then over next week they will be round at the house recording the vocals for William Henry Miller Parts One and Two.  These will be double a-sides with The Furnace and either The Dirt & the Roots or A Few Kind Words for a twin pack of vinyl released later in the year – probably May I would have thought.  And before you start chipping in, no I am not asking for help deciding which of the latter two will be released.  Neil will mostly decide, and I will chip in, but this is not a democracy (ha – didn’t that sound decisive and commanding!)

So, that’s about it for this week.  We will shortly be heading back to our favourite watering hole, the newly refurbished King’s Wark, for a couple of lunchtime pints and one of the finest lunches to be had in Scotland.  Fucking, if I may say so, brilliant.  And then off up to the Wee Red Bar to help out with Trampoline and see the Japanese War Effort.  Exciting time people, it a rock-and-roll-o-rama around here these days.

So, time to stop shuffling about in the shadows, de-lurk, and make you contribution.  If nothing else you will at least stop this thread descending into the usual Bart-baiting within five posts, so any new commenters are highly appreciated.  And without further ado, this week’s Toad’s (stolen from GUT) Friday Five:

1. Name a great band with a piss-poor debut album (point for the non-obvious ones like Dylan, Radiohead and the Beatles).
2. Name your favourite thing to do in the snow.
3. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
4. Silliest fish name.
5. How many different formats do you own music in these days?

The Pictish Trail – Into the Smoke (Live on BBC 6Music) Thanks to The Daily Growl.

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Miwa Gemini – Pieces

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The Tartans – Cats of Camerford

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School of Seven Bells – Half Asleep

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Feist & Ben Gibbard – Train Song

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Welcome to yet another album I have taken an absolute age to review.  I think that’s because there’s about two thirds of a really good record here, although it tails off quite badly towards the end.  The first five songs, however, are terrific.  A sort of mysterious mixture between Portishead, Paris Motel and Jolie Holland, it’s a bit difficult to find out much about her on the internets.  It’s all parable and allegory, which sort of fits the aesthetic of the album itself, which is suffused with hushed, fairytale beauty.

In many ways the slightly spooky carnival take on lounge jazz is about as close a description as I’ll manage, but the magical air of the music and her slightly odd accent make this a little special, at its best.  I think Miwa is a transplanted Japanese currently living in New York, but I’m really not sure – it’s quite hard to dig up any biographical details.  Her album has only been released in Canada so far, but that should hopefully be remedied shortly.

Certain tracks, like Travelling Man and the entirely forgettable Crazy Over You really do not make the cut, and oddly both seem to be the more electric guitar-heavy numbers.  They are bog-standard garage blues, with little bite and really not much to distinguish them.  The best stuff is just plain magical though.  So you see why I prevaricated a little about reviewing this album: catch the right half dozen songs and you’ll be rather impressed; the wrong ones, on the other hand, will leave you wondering what on Earth I am thinking.  So much to love though, which is better than most folk can manage.

Miwa Gemini – Pieces
Miwa Gemini – Forever For Never

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