After last year’s relatively sensible podcast (I think the BBC cameras scared us into some degree of sensibleness), this years is far, far less sensible.  I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s probably a little more honest.

This time around, as well as the more usual suspects of Messrs. Galloway, Reid, Thomas and myself, we are joined by The Two Jamies: Webster who manages Three Blind Wolves and Gilmour who manages We Were Promised Jetpacks.  This is helpful because instead of drunken fuckwits gabbling at one another, we actually have some proper insight from people who have brought bands out to SXSW and have something useful to add.

And for the rest of it me, Vic, Peej and Stuart just take the piss out of one another.  So umm… well, you have to take the rough with the smooth I suppose.

Direct download: Toadcast #218 – The Porchcast

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01. Grave Babies – Nightmare (00.21)
02. Pond – Leisure Pony (5.59)
03. The Animals – We Gotta Get Outta This Place (16.28)
04. Bruce Springsteen – Excerpt from SXSW keynote speech (19.37)
05. Roy Orbison – Crying (21.33)
06. BITCHES – Cage Babies (27.26)
07. Yellow Ostrich – The Shakedown (34.32)
08. The Twilight Sad – Sick (45.21)
09. We Were Promised Jetpacks – The Walls Are Wearing Thin (59.56)
10. OFF – Jeffrey Lee Pierce (61.47)
11. Thulebasen – Gate 5 (77.22)
12. Samuel L. Jackson – Go the Fuck to Sleep (83.00)

Before the mentalism kicks in, some nice things. Firstly Los Podcartos have been extremely Toad-friendly this week, with two very generous pieces on what we’re getting up to at this end of the M8. On Thursday they published an interview with my good self in which, as ever, I talk rather too much. Fortunately, liberated from my own waterfall-tongued contributions, they were able to be just a little more disciplined in their podcast this weekend, during which they are incredibly nice about Toad things and plug the Wednesday Toad Night at Mono for all they’re worth.

Personally, I hugely appreciate that, because I am not very Glasgowy these days and am not entirely sure how full Mono is going to be on Wednesday, so if you are a Glasgow-based Toad person reading this then please feel free to spread the word and get as many of your mates there as you can – tickets here if you want ‘em.

On the subject of Glasgow, we have a special treat to start this Friday Fives, namely Adam Stafford and Emily Scott covering the Twilight Sad’s Walking for Two Hours. Apparently Adam has finished an album of covers and was just a little too excited by this one to keep it under wraps.

Adam Stafford & the Deathbridge Convention – Walking for Two Hours

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Right, the mentalism. Well, Loch Lomond get here on Sunday and they have what can only be termed a hectic schedule ahead of them: Fresh Air Session on Monday, The Slaughtered Lamb in London on Tuesday, Mono in Glasgow on Wednesday, The Tunnels in Aberdeen on Thursday, The Barrels in Berwick on Friday, The Queen Charlotte Rooms in Leith on Saturday, The Black Heart in Camden on Sunday and then a Toad Session and an Off the Beaten Tracks Session on Monday. Well, it’s their own bloody fault – they kept wanting more gigs and now they’ve got ‘em!

I’m on holiday and will be driving the bastards though, so I’ll be fucking destroyed by the time we get through all that lot. The Monday Toad Session will be hilarious “So erm… oh, whatever, just play some songs”.

Next week will start with a bit of famousyness too, with LCD Soundsytem and Band of Horses reviews pencilled in for early in the week. I haven’t really been paying much attention to major label releases recently, but as I said to the nice lady from Island Records recently: “They’ve no idea what they’re doing, the music they release is fucking shit, and they want total control of absolutely everything, so fuck them.” I didn’t realise she was from Island at the time, of course.

So, at last we come to the de-lurking part of the week, where you the people get to take back the conversation on this site from the same old muppets who spend their week bickering on here like a bunch of teenage girls.  Except me.  It’s all good sense when I’m doing it of course – I just meant everyone else.

1. The last time you spectacularly put your foot in it.
2. Favourite dessert.
3. Favourite desert.
4. Person you have actually met with a name to kill your parents for.
5. Your shoe size, as measured by any units you please.

Only four songs now, because you’ve already had one:

The Twilight Sad – Walking for Two Hours

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Casiotone for the Painfully Alone – Born in the USA

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Clem Snide – Beautiful

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Rats With Wings – Hungry Like the Wolf

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So Matthew’s plane crashed on the way back from Italy, after a rather nasty accident apparently involving a trainee pilot, gin and a difference of opinion on the work of Tom Waits.

Only kidding, folks. Matthew’s alive and well, but figured he’d be trawling through unread e-mails all day, so you have to endure my own personal brand of humour and warped self importance for one more post. Sorry.

Tuesday 30th June 2009 – I Heart Hiroshima and the Pineapple Chunks at the Bowery

I Heart Hiroshima are a three-piece Indie pop act from Brisbane, Australia, known for their “bass-less” lineup, which tends to offer a distinct sound (thank you wikipedia). Pineapple Chunks is rhyming slang for spunk (thank you google). They’re also rather deranged gararge pop goodess.

Tuesday 30th June 2009 – Findo Gask and St Deluxe at Electric Circus

I’ve still yet to see Findo Gask live, but very much enjoy the recordings I’ve heard. Maybe a bit like the synth pop of FOUND, but with a heavier electronic influence. St. Deluxe I’ve heard good things about also. Bonus.
Findo Gask – Va Va Va

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Thursday 2nd July 2009 – The Twilight Sad, the Foundling Wheel and Adam Stafford at the Bongo Club

The Twilight Sad have a new album soon. They play loud guitars and sing and that. They’re good. Also with the cathartic noise of the Foundling Wheel and maniacal rantings of Adam Stafford (of Y’all Is Fantasy Island, or ‘yifi’ as the kids call them. Not my kids, of course. The kids. I don’t have any kids. Don’t worry, Matthew will be back tomorrow), this should be a great show.

Friday 3rd July 2009 – The Wind Whistles, Tisso Lake and Jo Foster at the Bowery

The Wind Whistles and Jo Foster both make rather charming folk pop. Tisso Lake was absolutely stunning at the recent Viking Moses show, and his set for this outing has been described as ‘synth-heavy’. Make of that what you will. Everyone should come to this. EVERYONE.
The Wind Whistles – Spooks

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