First things first, I must inevitably apologise for the horrendous lateness of this podcast.  Between my mum visiting, the gig on Sunday and the Samantha Crain Toad Session we recorded on Monday there just hasn’t been enough time to catch up.

It’s that end of year time, too, when lists are being made, accounts submitted, the last releases of the year tended to and plans for next year being finalised, so just when I thought that I could coast into Christmas, it turns out I actually have just as much work now as at any other time of the year.  Ah well, whinge whinge, etc.

This podcast is called the Saxcast because I happened to be listening to Timber Timbre the other night, and one of their songs features the saxophone quite heavily.  It occurred to me at the time that not only does almost no-one use that instrument at the moment, but despite the eighties ending over twenty years ago, it still seems almost completely taboo, within the kind of musical circles I move in anyway.  Needless to say, this was all it took for me to devote an entire podcast to the instrument.

Direct download: Toadcast #202 – The Saxcast

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01. Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band – It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City (Live) (00.27)
02. Timber Timbre – Do I Have Power (09.02)
03. Quiet Americans – Summer House (16.54)
04. Samantha Crain – Two Sidedness (20.02)
05. Hazel O’Connor – Will You (25.09)
06. Woodenbox – Twisted Mile (33.42)
07. Monster Rally & RumTum – Raindrops (39.53)
08. My Tiny Robots – Guild of Defiants (42.37)
09. David Tattersall – The Typewriter Ribbon (47.51)
10. Mark Knopfler – Going Home (Theme From Local Hero) (58.30)

[This week's Sunday Supplement has been prepared for us by Ali Millar. Noted for her tireless work on putting together last year's hugely succesful Oxjam festival, Ali is about to venture into the murky waters of live promotion... Don't forget to email us at sunday(at)songbytoad.com if you've got an idea for a Sunday Supplement you'd like to see published]

Before I start this piece I want to kind of issue a small disclaimer, that what follows is mainly a collection of (poorly) gathered thoughts that have been floating around somewhere in my head for a while, and I just wanted to throw them out there. Also I want to apologise in advance that this is very much an Edinburgh-centric piece.

I’m pretty new in terms of understanding the city’s music scene, but having organised, promoted and sweated blood organising Oxjam in Edinburgh last year I kind of jumped in at the deep and quickly became familiar with at least one facet of the music scene in Edinburgh. Prior to this I guess I was like a lot of people, I went to the bigger gigs, went through to Glasgow for a fair few shows, and moaned that nothing much went on here.

I can honestly say too that in the promotion of Oxjam so many people got behind us and helped out, Nick over at what was Under The Radar, Jim at Cab Vol, Andy and Alex at Off The Beaten Tracks, Matthew who put up with us on far too many occasions and most notably Meursault who did just about whatever we asked them to do. And it was a nice feeling, that there was a city kind of rooting for it to be a success, which it was and hopefully will be again this year. All of that, and more besides, really made me protective of the music Edinburgh has to offer. This has a flipside as at times I get frustrated that it doesn’t get the wider acclaim it deserves, and I can’t help but feel there must be more that can be done to promote it within the city and further afield too. Also there is the danger that I have become slightly blinkered in my view, I assume that everyone is going to gigs, buying EPs and albums by local bands and generally embracing what the city has to offer, all too quickly I have forgotten that for many people this simply isn’t the case. The problem is most people I talk to are all involved in music in some way and so I’m seeing the city through their eyes and we’re all looking at it close up, through music tinted glasses and the danger is that we could become complacent and self congratulatory when in actual fact there is a lot more that could be done in terms of promotion and exposure.

I have some inkling of how hard Matthew works, and reckon he should be exempt from this conversation, and I know too that there are a number of promoters out there who also work tirelessly and for not much in return. So maybe the issue here isn’t about doing more, but doing what we do a bit smarter. Maybe we could showcase something that the city has to offer, broaden the appeal and instead of it being the vision of one promoter or one charity event we could host an event that showcases the breadth of the talent within the city from the perspective of a number of promoters, and additionally the growing number of record labels we have too.

The press also have a certain responsibility, not just to promote bands, but to do so in a way that supports the city as a whole. It seems to be the only way that a critical mass can be reached that then allows for bands to get the attention they deserve. Okay, I understand that journalists have to be objective and if, in their objective opinion they listen to something they don’t like, then fine give it the review you think it deserves, regardless of where the musicians are based. That’s okay, and sure, it might cause a bit of fuss, but that’s all part of writing something down and letting people see it, but when it comes to covering the city as a whole it’s important, at this stage, that the coverage is favourable, that it creates an excitement and that the city is talked up as much as possible. In the recent past there have been examples where it was questioned whether the music scene could hold its own out with Edinburgh. Pieces such as this do nothing to help the bands, labels or promoters who all believe in what’s going on and who all want Edinburgh to have the wider recognition it so badly deserves. Also if our own national press, representing the city, can’t find it in themselves to promote the city, to be passionate and to pass that on to readers, then how can we expect to get wider coverage on a national level? We need to draw more people in and the media can play such an important part in this.

I suppose all I’m trying to ask in a roundabout way is what can we do to promote the music scene within the city more effectively and how can we open it up to wider audience both within and out with the city? It seems that this is the only way to ensure that it will continue to grow, to attract new talent and to not stagnate. We have an excellent base here of bands, bloggers, promoters and record labels, there is a lot to shout about, and more shouting that could be done.

Oh, and speaking of promotion, there’s a great gig on Thursday 22nd at The Wee Red Bar; Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers, The Stormy Seas, The Kays Lavelle and Tony Yorston, only a fiver in with free cake. Shameless plug. Sorry!

Woodenbox – Crooked Mile

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Meursault – Sleet

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So August is almost upon us. Traditionally –  or at least for as long as I’ve been living here – most bands and promoters in Edinburgh tend to just take the month off and make way for the festival. It’s a bit of a monolith. Every available venue (and most non-venue) space is booked up months in advance, and with so much happening every single day in August, it becomes rather difficult for smaller operations putting on shows. Of course there are exceptions – a lot of the bigger clubs just keep on trucking, and nights like Acoustic Edinburgh embrace the Fringe and put on shows as part of the official line-up.

This year, though – more so than any I can remember – seems to be bucking that trend. There’s a lot of activity going on outside of the festival – and lots of local bands and promoters putting on shows regardless. Which is great to see – another indication of the strength and confidence of the city’s musical community at the moment. I thought I’d give a run down of what’s caught my eye – as with so much on, it’s entirely possible for an amazing show to slip by un-noticed.

The Edge

Firstly, the musical leg of the Fringe – the Edge – has some really great shows this year. The Mum show may have been moved to Glasgow, but we still have David Byrne, Woodpigeon, Andrew Bird, Frightened Rabbit, Malcolm Middleton, and Jeffrey Lewis. And judging by the website, the festival seems to have just absorbed all the shows at Sneaky Pete’s – including Sleeping States (who I can’t recommend highly enough), Monotonix, Sparrow and the Workshop, the usual This is Music night and the mysteriously titled ‘Songs By Toad night’. It’s also great to see some Edinburgh bands forming part of the Edge line-up – with Broken Records at the Queens Hall, a double header from Unicorn Kid and Young Fathers at Cab Vol, and support slots from Meursault (at Frightened Rabbit), the Kays Lavelle (the Lost Brothers) and Withered Hand (Jeffrey Lewis). It’s something that I’ve felt was lacking in previous line-ups, and it’s a step in the right direction.

www.theedgefestival.com

Retreat!

Then, of course, there’s the ‘other’ festival. Retreat! is an all day event at the Bristo Hall on Sunday the 16th. 15 acts (Meursault, Withered Hand, Rob St. John, Tissø Lake, the Leg…), and DJs till 3am. Free entry. I can’t think of a better line-up. But then again, I did help pick it.

www.myspace.com/edinburghretreat

Trampoline

Trampoline are also putting on four shows over first two weekends, and really great line-ups including Adam Stafford (Y’all Is Fantasy Island), Jonnie Common (Down The Tiny Steps), Animal Magic Tricks, Conquering Animal Sound, Golden Ghost and Woodenbox.

www.myspace.com/trampolineuk

Bang Bang Club

Normally at the Speakeasy in Cabaret Voltaire, the Bang Bang Club is hosting a series of shows upstairs in the Teviot Hall. Highlights include Clinic, the Pineapple Chunks, Paul Vickers and the Leg, and a series of soundtrack events from Steven Severin.

www.myspace.com/bangbangclubedinburgh

Playing With The Past

There’s also an exclusive second screening of the Playing with the Past event from this year’s film festival on 22^nd August, with eagleowl, FOUND and Meursault performing live soundtracks to old Scottish films. Tickets are available now from the Filmhouse website or box office.

www.myspace.com/playingwiththepast

Cybraphon

FOUND – not willing to give up their ‘hardest working band in Edinburgh’ tag to Meursault just yet – also have a residency at InSpace (a gallery space – part of the new University building) with their Cybraphon project, including a live band performance on the 13^th (which is free but ticketed). It seems to be some kind of automated musical cupboard, containing a series of musical instruments, which reacts to online activity about the project in real time. Or something. For a more coherent explanation, try the Cybraphon site:

www.cybraphon.com

Leith Tape Club

Okay, strictly speaking not an Edinburgh show – but a nice trip out of the city is normally always welcome around the third week in August. Leith Tape Club at the Iso Bar continues in August on the 20^th, with a rather special all-star line-up including the Kays Lavelle and Meursault (solo, I think).

Leith Tape Club

National Portrait Gallery

There’s also a series of rather exclusive shows at the National Portrait Gallery, whilst the gallery is closed for a refurbishment. These include Rob St. John and Emily Scott on 8^th August, X-LionTamer on 21^st August, St Jude’s Infirmary and Zoey Van Goey on 22^nd August, and Withered Hand and Meursault on 29^th August.

National Portrait Gallery

Electric Circus

There’s been some great gigs in Electric Circus since it opened earlier this year, and they don’t seem to be losing any momentum in August, with shows from FOUND, Dent May, White Heath and Rob St. John (1st), Jesus H. Foxx (11th), The Phantom Band (19th), and Trembling Bells and Ben Reynolds (25th), amongst others.

Electric Circus

The Golden Hour

A blend of poetry, music and live visuals at the Forest Cafe on 19th August, with performances from Billy Liar and Withered Hand.

The Golden Hour

Shipping Forecast Garden Party

And I think there’s another shipping forecast garden party scheduled for 30^th August, with Come On Gang!

No details yet, but I’m sure Dave will keep us posted.

It is all pretty exciting. Please spam the comments with anything I’ve missed, as I’m sure there’s loads, and if any more are announced or come to light over the course of the month, it’ll no doubt make it’s way into the weekly listings.

Sleeping States – September, Maybe

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Woodpigeon – In Praise of the West Midlothian Bus Service

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Zoey Van Goey – City Is Exploding

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This week’s Toadcast has no theme at all because, erm… well, frankly they’re difficult to come up with and therefore seem just a tiny little bit like hard work.  So given I’m podcasting once a week now, I am not going to be arsed coming up with some immaculately scripted (ah ha haaa!) arrangement once every seven days, so this week it’s really just a brief tour of inbox fodder.

This weekend there are loads of good things happening, not least a performance by Mumford & Sons at the Voodoo Rooms, and a first look for me at what could potentially become an excellent new venue in Edinburgh.  That’s a secret though, so no more details than that.

So, for now enjoy the Soulcast, so named for no better reason than that the first couple of songs have the word soul in the title.  Piss-poor excuse really, isn’t it.

Toadcast #41 – The Soulcast

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01. Nat Johnson – Dirty Rotten Soul (02.39)
02. Maxwell Panther – Lost Soul on a Roll (06.21)
03. Deerhoof – Chandelier Searchlight (11.40)
04. Aberfeldy – Claire (15.01)
05. Hot Lava – Blue Dragon (21.11)
06. Deathbot – The Cold Wind Revival (23.20)
07. Lambchop – Sharing a Gibson With Martin Luther King Jr. (28.41)
08. Wilco – Company in My Back (35.45)
09. Woodenbox – Twisted Mile (39.17)
10. Pale Young Gentlemen – There is a Place (46.33)
11. Japanese Motors – Spendin’ Days (54.52)

Of course there is one and only one gig worth attending in Edinburgh this week: the Song, by Toad Records Launch Party! It is the official line of this publication that no other gigs are even happening, never mind worth turning up to. Some arse has managed to sneak in some rogue listings at the bottom of the page, but believe me he will be hunted down and given a severe beating before the day is up.

It would be great to see as many of you as possible at the launch party. This is as nerve-wracking as it is exciting, so get there nice and early for your free sampler (only 25 to go round) and help us celebrate in a bit of style.

Wednesday 11th June 2008: We See Lights & Woodenbox & Emily Scott at the Wee Red Bar.
It’s all a bit folky at this month’s Trampoline gig. We See Lights are not a group I can tell you that much about, but Emily Scott’s stuff is gorgeous and Woodenbox were terrific at the T-Break Heats in Glasgow a month or so ago. It won’t be as much fun as the Toad Records Launch Night of course, but it will tide you over well enough.
Woodenbox – Situations

Wednesday 11th June 2008: Jonquil & The Occasional Flickers & Wounded Knee at Henry’s Cellar Bar.
It’s an eclectic lineup from The Gentle Invasion, with rising quirk-folksters Jonquil, pastoral indie band The Occasional Flickers and experimental soundscaper Wounded Knee all bringing something quite different to the evening. The one common thread is perhaps the laid back, comfortable vibe that should pervade, so for all it won’t be as good as the Song, by Toad Records Launch Night, it should be an enjoyable gig nevertheless.
Jonquil – Apparency
The Occasional Flickers – A Medal Won in ’84

Friday 13th June 2008: Alex Cornish at Cabaret Voltaire.
Having played material from his debut album When the Traffic Stops both solo and with a four-piece band, Alex has finally decided to procure a string quartet to bring the full depth of his sound to the live stage at last. It should be really good, this, but don’t get too drunk because you don’t want to be hung over at the excellent Song, by Toad Records Launch Party the following day.
Alex Cornish – Counting Chimney Pots

Saturday 14th June 2008: Rags & Feathers & Ziggy Campbell & Les Enfant Bastard at Henry’s Cellar Bar.
Of course none of you will be at this, as you’ll all be at the Song, by Toad Records Launch Party. But should you be so scurrilously disloyal as to go along, then feel free to swing by Leith afterwards and brandish your stamp for free entry. You may just be able to catch Meursault (10pm – unlikely) and Celebrity Chimp (11pm – probably) if you’re quick. Ziggy Campbell is the Found frontman, and Les Enfant Bastard are possibly the living embodiment of anti-folk. Rags & Feathers I know nothing about at all, but follow the MySpace link and enlightenment is yours for the taking.
Les Enfant Bastard – U R My Fucking Sunshine U Cunt

Saturday 14th June 2008: Celebrity Chimp & Meursault & The Byrons play the Song, by Toad Records Launch Party, at The Meridian, Leith.
There is surely no way I need to tell you any more about this, but even if you don’t give a shit about the label or my own endeavours or any of that stuff – and of course, there’s no reason that you should – then you may wish to come down to see the bands anyway, as this is a really excellent lineup. More details here if you want them; hope to see you there.
Celebrity Chimp – Plastic Girl

Sunday 15th June 2008: The Twilight Sad, Broken Records & Meursault at the Bongo Club.
What finer way to nurse your prodigious hangover after the night of your life at the Song, by Toad Records Launch Night than by spinning round to see Broken Records and Meursault, probably Edinburgh’s two best bands at the moment, supporting swirling noise-merchants The Twilight Sad at the Bongo Club. It won’t be as much fun as the night before, but then, you probably just couldn’t take that much joy in one weekend anyway.
The Twilight Sad – Watching That Chair Painted Yellow

Oh the busyness just doesn’t subside, does it. And there’s nothing quite so life-affirming as being in the office on a Bank Holiday Monday. The way things work around here they just lump Bank Holidays into your overall holiday allowance, so you can take the days when you want. This makes a lot of sense for plenty of reasons, but it falls short in one crucial way: every once in a while it is nice to be forced to take some time off and just waste a day with your other half.

Mrs. Toad is at home by herself, no doubt drinking a cuppa in our south-facing, sun-drenched garden. Or proto-garden more like, as it was all planted from scratch last year and is only slowly growing into itself.
As much as I like where I work, I would dearly love to be at home with my silly missus and her preposterous cat, drinking tea in the sunshine and cursing my silliness at failing to dead-head the fennel before the bastard went to seed and caused an explosion of miniature fennel plants in the little bed in front of the shed. Or something like that. Rats.

So, coming down from Nick Cave in Glasgow last night with JC and Mrs. Villain, what can we find to try and fail to live up to that experience this week? And what the fuck is going on on Thursday for crying out loud?

Tuesday 6th May: Frightened Rabbit at The Hive.
I don’t know what the venue is like, but The Hive’s website is so monumentally shit and clunky to navigate that I sightly resent plugging their gigs. And actually, Frightened Rabbit’s new album isn’t exactly blowing my socks off either. Mind you, I’ll be busy doing radio things, so what do I care. Ross Clark is supporting, and he’s pretty handy.
Frightened Rabbit – The Modern Leper

Thursday 8th May: King Creosote & Slow Club at Fence Club, the Caves.
Another excellent Fence Club lineup, with good ol’ KC and the excellent Slow Club – another Moshi Moshi band, I have serious Label Envy! There’s also an exclusive vinyl treat (that sounds kinky) if you come along, so what more incentive could you want? These parties are brilliant fun.
Slow Club – Me & You

Thursday 8th May: Attic Lights at Cabaret Voltaire.
I keep hearing these lads mentioned as the Next Big Thing, and highly complimented by plenty of very reliable people. Honestly though, I have never heard anything that gets me all that excited. Still, I have yet to give the time necessary to qualify that kind of negativity, so I will make more effort before I shrug my shoulders once and for all.
Attic Lights – Never Get Sick of the Sea

Thursday 8th May: The Kays Lavelle & The Mannequins at Limbo, the Voodoo Rooms.
The Kays Lavelle will presumably be shit, once again*.
Anyway, once the humour subsides, expect some rather dark, generally piano-led indie-rock. The Mannequins are new to me, but a cursory listen to their MySpace sounds pretty promising. Sort of punk-croon, if you can imagine that.
The Mannequins – Little Black Book

Thursday 8th May: Dave Graney, The Low Miffs & the Bum-Clocks in the Speakeasy at the Voodoo Rooms.
This is a superb lineup. I don’t know much about the headliner, but the Low Miffs are fantastic, and as for the Bum-Clocks… well, can you imagine Robert Burns’ poetry performed against a backdrop of Malcolm Ross’ indie guitar riffs? This is really, really worth going to.
The Bum-Clocks – A Tale o’ Twa Dugs

Friday 9th May: MGMT at the Liquid Room.
I’ll admit I’m being a bit of a pop slut by going to this, but Time to Pretend is just brilliant and although the rest of it slides a little closer to the Scissor Sister than I might personally choose, I expect this to be a load of fun. Someone told me they were shit live, but I’ll withhold judgment on that until after Friday. I’m bloody well committed now anyway.
MGMT – The Youth

Friday 9th May: Rachel Unthank & the Winterset at the Voodoo Rooms.
If I’m being honest I would say that this is a little bit too folky for me, really. There’s a lot to like in the music though, and some of my readers may well love this, so it’s definitely worth considering. And her rendition of Blue Bleezin’ Blind Drunk is just brilliant.
Rachel Unthank & the Winterset – Blue Bleezin’ Blind Drunk

[Edit: an irate Bart, who couldn't even be arsed to list this gig himself, insists I mention the following gig. They're so good they don't feature on his own listings page, but hey, they're presumably good enough for me, eh? Fucksake.]

Saturday 10th May: The Second Hand Marching Band, Skeleton Bob & Woodenbox at the Wee Red Bar.
Apparently this lot are all very good. For more complete descriptions, complete with a girly ginger hissy-fit, see the comments below. Good grief.
The Second Hand Marching Band – Dance to Half Death

*Sorry, that’s an in-joke. Lead singer Euan is a regular reader of this site and so my first review of the band was a one-liner: The Kays Lavelle were shit. Side-splitting, eh? Yes, I know, sometimes I wonder how I do it.