Song, by Toad

Well I am Ruthless and bandless to begin this term’s broadcasts, so you’ll have to wait until next week for the first Toadly Fresh Air Session I’m afraid.

Having said that, however, I have a shiteload of excellent and very shiny new material to play tonight, so people wanting the pop hits are likely to be rather disappointed as there are few old favourites and lots of new demos which I am very much hoping will end up on albums before the end of the year.

Ruth will be back with me as of next week, but she’s currently nursing Michael H. Foxx, who is in hospital with the nasties.  So best wishes to both of them, but we’ll be back in the normal swing of things from next Monday onwards.

Live on Air 8pm-9.30pm – Listen live here.

Incidentally, if you know anyone who you would recommend for a live session, just get in touch in the comments or by email (see the contact page above).

This evening’s tracklisting (updated live):

1. Django Django – Storm
2. Liars – No Barrier Fun
3. Gobble Gobble – Lawn Knives
4. Robin Grey – I Love Leonard Cohen
5. Leonard Cohen – Avalanche
6. REM – First We Take Manhattan (Leonard Cohen Cover)
7. The Burns Unit – Since We’ve Fallen Out
8. The Van Allen Belt – The Way You Look
9. Trips and Falls – That is a Big Door!
10. Sarah Lowes – Night Time
11. Findo Gask – Full Five (Demo)
12. Yusuf Azak – Eastern Sun (Demo)
13. Meursault – All Creatures Will Make Merry

Meursault – Fresh Air Session

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Meursault – Love or Limb (Live on Fresh Air)

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Meursault – Untitled Triptych (Live on Fresh Air)

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Meursault – What You Don’t Have (Live on Fresh Air)

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Meursault – Heaven Waits (Live on FreshAir)

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11.Meursault – Love or Limb
This is almost a bloody country song, and fucking hell it’s miserable.  Like the rest of Nothing Broke, the songs really don’t seem to belong together, but they really do fit amazingly well. And one of the nicest things about this song, for someone actually involved with the release, is that it came as a total surprise – I knew nothing about it until suddenly there it was on something we were releasing.

12.Yusuf Azak – The Key Underground
Yusuf is threatening to retire from music before finishing his album.  Based on the evidence of his two EPs (free to download from his MySpace page) and this out of the blue pop gem that would be a tragedy.  It’s such a strange song, and yet so incredibly catchy.

13.Micah P Hinson – In The Pines (By Leadbelly)
Yes, I know, I don’t like this album much, and covering In the Pines by Leadbelly is an enormous cliche, but the sheer venom with which Hinson sets about this song is a bloody joy.  He just beasts the living shit out of it, start to finish.  Truly exceptional.

14.Meursault – William Henry Miller Pt1
Hmm, this song got a little lost in the debate between single versions and EP versions and all that pish, but forgetting everything else and just popping it on the stereo, it’s just a genius pop song pure and simple.  The oohs, the claps, the banjo… the fucking weird subject matter.  I defy anyone not to love this – in fact, if you are that person then all I can say is ‘Ha hahahaha – you’re an idiot.  Bad luck.’

15.Samamidon-1842-ToadSession
More banjo, and one of the most gorgeous voices I’ve heard in ages.  Sam played in Edinburgh a lot this year, and I don’t know if his second Bowery gig or his Toad Session the next day will end up being the most memorable from my perspective.  How someone can bring old folk music so powerfully to life by doing so little to it is beyond me.  The lad’s a fucking genius.

16.Withered Hand – For the Maudlin
One of the most understatedly brilliant albums I’ve heard for ages.  Almost every one of the songs on Good News should be on this list.  The only real relief for me is the fact that due to appearing on the Religious Songs EP a handful of them have disqualified themselves, otherwise Dan might fear he had a stalker.

17.Langhorne Slim – I Love You But Goodbye
I’m still getting into the album itself, but the teaser track from Be Set Free is more elaborate and involved than earlier work, but the twinkling piano and lazy strings just give this song an incredible air of indulgent, nostalgic melancholy.  If you like to wallow in your sadness yet not allow it to become too bleak, then this is the song for you.

18.eagleowl – Sleep the Winter
If you want to know what I think of this single, read this.  Otherwise just listen to the roll of the guitar refrain, the gorgeous sound of the violin and the wonderful interplay between Bart’s growl and Clarissa’s whisper – it’s just beautiful.  They make making music like this sound so incredibly easy.

19.Sparrow & the Workshop – You’ve Got it All
If I were Jill O’Sullivan’s gentleman friend I would be somewhat worried by the number of venomous, barbed songs she writes.  If I didn’t know what a sweetie she was, and just knew her by her lyrics, she’d scare the shit out of me.  This whole EP is fierce and vulnerable, but mostly fierce, and this is probably my favourite song on it.  Although… well, for now it is anyway; it’s just a great EP full stop.

20.Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes
I blow hot and cold with this album, but this track is simply a brilliant pop song.  Even I feel like a hip kid listening to this (although it’s probably eight months too late to be saying that).  But honestly, anything that makes me feel even vaguely like dancing deserves a fucking medal, and that’s what this does.

To download all ten songs as a single zip file, click here.

1-10 / 11-20 / 21-35 / 36-50

Hello again, Ruth and I are back on air tonight on Fresh Air, Edinburgh’s student radio station.  As per usual we’ll be having some live session stuff, this time from The Japanese War Effort.  Jamie is a bit of a band-whore actually, and plays in the Occasional Flickers and Conquering Animal Sound as well as ploughing his own solo furrow.  It’s this stuff, however, which is my favourite.  I haven’t much idea what it will sound like, stripped back to the extent that it will need to be in order to be played in the Fresh Air studio, but I am certain that it will be good.

The tracklisting will be filled out below live as we go along, and it would be nice if you would use the comment thread to chip and have your say during the show.  Believe me, it’s a hell of a lot easier than me trying to man Facebook, Twitter and bloody emails all at the same time as working the desk in the studio and the camera to record the session.  Still, Ruth’s back this week and so I should be a little calmer this time than last!

On air 7pm-8.30pm GMT – Listen live here.

Tonight’s playlist:
1. Tom Waits – The Part You Throw Away (Live in Edinburgh, July 2008)
2. The Cave Singers – Belmar
3. The Japanese War Effort- Winning Eleven (Live in Session)
4. Dan Mangan – Robots
5. The Silver Columns – Brow Beaten
6. The Japanese War Effort – Lanark (Live in Session)
7. Yusuf Azak – The Key Underground
8. Rob St John – December & Whisky (Live at the Retreat Festival)
9. Doveman – Angel’s Share
10. Hudson Mohawke – Fuse
11.. Helen Love – Debbie Loves Joey
12. Tune Yards – Hap-B
13. The Japanese War Effort – Face Like A Lemon – Ivor Cutler Cover (Live in Session)
14. Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A (Nebraska Sessions Version)
15. Japanese War Effort – Punk’s Not Dead (Live in Session)
16. Leonard Cohen – Lover Lover Lover

Here is the podcast of last week’s session with the excellent Candythief, along with the session tracks and video of the performances, after the break. Read the rest of this entry »

October? Jesus, you must be kidding, that means Autumn and everything. You can feel it in the air actually, and in fact it’s been there for a couple of weeks now. Blech. Booring. Still, dark evenings in with a glass of wine and a record player is a fine way to spend an evening.

I am still absolutely buzzed off my tits after the weekend. Neil from Meursault and Frances Magic Tricks and Pete Leg were recording in the house this weekend and fucking hell it sounds like it’s going to be gorgeous. They’ve put together a nine-song album which, assuming everything gets negotiated cleanly, we will be releasing on 12″ vinyl probably early next year or late this, and it is going to be fucking amazing. I can’t sit still at Proper Job at all – I just want to get home and get the mixing process started.

On the subject of albums, Yusuf Azak is in town this week and has apparently been recording for his debut album for the last while. That also sounds incredibly promising, and I can’t wait to hear stuff from that one either. EXCITING, people! The last six months of the noughties (oh how I hate that phrase) is shaping up to be a really rather excellent one in terms of local music.

After an apparently excellent Versus night last month (which I missed, apologies) the Black Spring gentlemen return Limbo to the Edinburgh gig diary after a two or three month break. They’ve invited Toad favourites Inspector Tapehead through from Glasgow to play, the night after another Toad Records band, Jesus H. Foxx, play at Sneaky’s.

Tuesday 6th October 2009: Casiokids & Stanley Odd at Electric Circus.

Alright, this may not be exactly my bag, but listening to something hip-hoppy with an obvious Scottish accent is downright weird. And besides, if I were to be bored with indie-folk-pop etc etc then this looks like a pretty interesting lineup.

Wednesday 7th October 2009: Kill It Kid, Sparrow & the Workshop & Yusuf Azak at Cabaret Voltaire.

I am curious to see Kill It Kid. I’m not all that convinced by their recorded music, but they are supposed to be phenomenal live, and I can well believe it. It’s been bloody ages since I saw Sparrow & the Workshop too, and Yusuf Azak

Kill It Kid – Send Me an Angel Down

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Thursday 8th October 2009: FOUND & Road to Tokyo at the Bowery.

I have been reliably informed that FOUND will be taking this opportunity to give some material from their new album a first airing, so I wouldn’t miss this if I were you.  And given that Come in Tokyo have recently split, this the Road Thereto is going to be the only chance you get to see Allan Pebble wielding an electric guitar with purpose for the foreseeable future.

Friday 9th October 2009: Jesus H. Foxx & the Boycotts play This is Music at Sneaky Pete’s.

I believe it is Jamie from This Is Music’s birthday on Friday, so this one should be raucous.  I don’t know the Boycotts that well, but the Foxx are getting tighter and tighter live, and a sweaty, drinky night like this should be great fun.

Friday 9th October 2009: X Lion Tamer & Devil Disco at the Bongo Club.

You know, it’s been ages since I went to a gig at the Bongo Club.  I like their stage – everyone gets a good view because it’s high and almost in the round – despite the fact that the club itself is more than a little scruffy, so it’s a surprisingly good place to hold a gig.

Saturday 10th October 2009: Inspector Tapehead, Mickey 9s & X in the O play Limbo at the Voodoo Rooms.

Partly it’s good to see Limbo back on the Edinburgh gig calendar, and partly it’s extremely good to see the rhythmic weirdness of Inspector Tapehead back over here.  I don’t know the other two bands, but the Limbo lads are extremely reliable in putting together a good lineup.

Inspector Tapehead – Humdinger

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Saturday 10th October 2009: Micachu & the Shapes at Sneaky Pete’s.

It may be a surprise to see me recommending a band like Micachu, but I saw them at Limbo last year and actually thought they were really good.  There’s a bag of energy in their performance, and they are just melodic enough that I found myself really enjoying them despite it not being a style of music I normally warm to.

Saturday’s gig was, I think it’s fair to say without excessively blowing my own trumpet, fucking outstanding.  What fun!  There were flowers everywhere – thank you for those of you who made an effort, and didn’t leave me alone to look like a pillock by myself – the music was great and the gin flowed in epic quantities.

The open mic stuff at the beginning was great fun, so a big thank you to everyone who played.  We had two lovely songs by Alison and Tom from Aurora Stands in Snow, and then a couple from Scott Renton of Uhersky Brod, easing himself back into gigging after spending eight months gadding about the world (the total bastard).  If anything I think it’s probably Scott’s lyrics which make him stand out as a songwriter – has that very Scottish gift of being able to sprinkle his gloom and cynicism with enough wit to make you laugh, but never so much as to make you miss the point.

Next up we had a Jesus H. Foxx/Meursault mix, with an omnichord version of A Few Kind Words, an improvised percussion version of Pissing on Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues, some Pavement and an acoustic version of Matter, the title track to the Foxx’s debut EP.  Then we finished up with some most un-Byrons-like acoustic stuff from Ed Stack.  Shorn of the thumping racket of his usual drummer Sam, he went altogether bluesier to close out the open mic part of the evening with real humour.

I know gig nights are supposed to be about the gigs, but personally I absolutely fucking love the open mic parts of Toad nights, and the Bowery really is the perfect place for that kind of thing, seeing as there isn’t actually a stage as such.

Yusuf Azak was the first of the evening’s main sets, setting up as usual with just himself and an acoustic guitar.  His recorded stuff – two free downloadable EPs available here – includes all sorts of looping and buggering about with things, so you can imagine why I like it so much, but live there is absolutely nothing but his amazing voice and his somewhat amazing way with a guitar.  There’s something mesmerising about his voice; it’s almost a surprise to find out that, yes, what you hear on record is almost exactly what he sounds like in real life.

He’s working on an album at the moment, something I will be waiting to hear with bated breath.

Yusuf Azak – Ursa Major

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Found’s set followed Yusuf and was, frankly, stunning.  It’s one of the perils of growing a band as you explore a bigger sound: how do you then go backwards and ask some of them just to not bother playing on some songs.  In particular the opening two songs of the Found set were just fucking lovely.  The banjo is probably my favourite instrument at the moment, and these two tracks were basically Ziggy playing solo on the banjo with just enough accompaniment from Kev and Tommy to add a bit of depth to the sound, and it was brilliant.

But if you’re Found, what do you do?  Do you integrate a couple of these more pared-back numbers into your full set at the risk of underemploying a couple of your band members for a bit, or do you take the approach they seem to have selected: to play some stripped-back sets and some full ones and let regular fans explore their range that way.  I honestly don’t know what I would prefer, but this was certainly my favourite Found set since the first time I saw them at Fence Club a couple of years ago.

Found – When You Fall (Live)

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So a big thank you to everyone that turned up to make this a most memorable night indeed, and cheers to Ruth and Jane and the staff at the Bowery for all their hard work since November – this was a great way to sign of for a month or so.

The Festival is a bit mental in its own right, but this year it is also rather annoyingly commandeering the Bowery for six weeks to pimp shitty bottles of Magners to punters and in doing so depriving us of one of the best places to go to see live music in the city.  Bastards.

Anyhow, before closing up until September, there Ruth and Jane are having one last big piss-up which happens to coincide with a Toad Night.  We’ve got an hour of open(ish)-mic beforehand, with some splendid people booked, and then we have Glasgow’s extraordinary Yusuf Azak and a somewhat pared-back set from Found.  I am expecting a splendid night, honestly.

Also, the dress code is floral, but don’t worry, because I will be bringing along some blooms and will pin a couple to anyone who can’t find anything flowery to wear themselves.  Any anyone who moans will be mocked for being a curmudgeonly old fuddy-duddy.  Make an effort people, and let’s send Ruth and Jane off on holiday in some style.

Tuesday 14th July 2009: There Will Be Fireworks & Cryoverbillionaires at Electric Circus.

This show starts at 10pm and is preceded by a Sneaky Pete’s night, including a live show from Sleepy Sun and a couple of others.  For me though I have to confess that the real highlight will be the chance to see There Will Be Fireworks for the first time.  They’ve been tipped by an awful lot of people, and I am still waiting for their album to make its way to my front doorstep, so I am looking forward to this one a great deal.

Saturday 18th July 2009: Found & Yusuf Azak at the Bowery.

Anyone wishing to read more about this can click here.
The original song, by Toad

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Yusuf Azak – Light Procession

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And for those of you not planning on attending the Toad party on Saturday (which fucking well better be NO-ONE!) there is this rather promising looking alternative at the Wee Red Bar, including Trapped in Kansas, a post-rocky band I’ve been hearing quite a bit about lately.

Yes, it’s that soon.  And it will be bloody good.  The Bowery is closing over the Festival to be taken over by the usual commerical shitfest which swamps any semblance of culture in this city during August, and next Saturday will be its last night until the Autumn so help us celebrate the amazing work they’ve put in this year in some style.

As it’s the Summer and is allegedly (stop sniggering in the cheap seats) going to be a good one for a fucking change I thought we could all dress in flowers to celebrate.  In fact, I thought it would be such a good idea that I am going to buy a shitload of weird flowery things from charity shops and make you wear them if you turn up without anything floral on your person at all.  So you’d better make an effort, if just to deprive me of the opportunity to embarrass you.

For the open mic bit at the beginning – strictly 7pm-8pm – we have some splendid treats lined up, including a couple of Meursault songs played entirely on the omnichord and a couple of other special musical treats I am currently still working on.  As per usual, if you want to take part in the open mic bit email me on the address shown on the contact page.

For the main bit we have the truly outstanding Yusuf Azak coming through from Glasgow.  I am trying to prize him away from a sexier and more glamorous record label and persuade him to release on Toad so you shower of bastards had better be nice to him.  And headlining, we are going to have Tommy and Ziggy from Found reprising their Toad Session set which they recorded a few weeks ago for us because it was bloody brilliant and I think lots of people should hear it if they possibly can.

So there you go, a finer evening’s entertainment you couldn’t possibly wish for, so get yer jacksies down to the Bowery next Saturday and watch me make a tit of myself because of too much gin once again.  You know it’s bound to happen.

Yusuf Azak – The Key Underground

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Haggard the Listener Group – Anti-Climb Paint

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Well, after a bit of a lull last week there’s all sorts of crap going on in and around Edinburgh this week, so choose wisely because trying to attend everything could just be the end of you.  As well as the usual recommendations there are a couple of half-recommendations this week; gigs I feel I should want to go to, but am actually not that fussed about.  Crystal Antlers (I mean, come on, they have Crystal in their name, they have to be good, almost as guaranteed as having Fuck in your name last year, or Bear the year before that, or Wolf… well, never mind) are playing at Sneaky Pete’s with Times New Viking and Dupec.  These are all bands I feel I should like more than I do, for some reason.

The same applies to all of Glenn Tilbrook, Kristin Hersh and Alastair Roberts who are playing Cabaret Voltaire on Tuesday 19th, Wednesday 20th and Friday 22nd respectively.  I should be excited about them (well, maybe not Mr. Tilbrook in particular, no offence) but for all it is good that these guys are playing Edinburgh I find myself no more than vaguely interested in their gigs.  The splendid Rob St. John is supporting Alastair Roberts though, so that one is definitely the most appealing of the lot.

In terms of gigs I am likely to be attending, well let’s go, shall we.  And, er, just check Saturday out.  The Edinburgh gig going public might well be spread very thinly indeed this Saturday:

Thursday 21st May 2009: White Heath, Yusuf Azak & Colourmusic play Limbo at the Voodoo Rooms.

Well all know I think Yusuf Azak is bloody brilliant, but White Heath were also excellent at Trampoline last Saturday.  Their sound is very crowded, and their lead singer sounds a little like a muezzin who has rather badly lost his way, but they sound really, really promising to me.  Trombone and mental fiddle solos? Count me in!  And they even play the bongos without sounding shite, which is an achievement in itself.  They’re going to be working on some new recordings with Alex from Fentek Audio in the near future, and Alex appears to be carving out a reputation as one of Edinburgh’s most trusted sound guys, so this is very good news.  I’ll definitely be at this one.
Colourmusic – Spring Song

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Thursday 21st May:Benni Hemm Hemm and Withered Hand at the Bowery.

Glacial Icelandicism is no surprise these days, but this is more of a style we might associate with the rest of Scandinavia, with an almost januty instrumental pop style never far from the surface.  Benni will be at the Bowery on Thursday with the brilliant Withered Hand.

Friday 22nd May 2009: The Mannequins, The Pineapple Chunks and quite a few others at Henry’s Cellar Bar.

In amongst a lot of bigger names this week, I reckon this looks like the pick of the bunch when it comes to more under the radar slots.  I’ve been slack at checking the Henry’s listings recently because they’ve been rather quiet since the new year, but I hear that that is about to be taken firmly in hand and they will be making a bit of a push in the coming months.  The Mannequins have some pretty decent pop songs from the sound of it, and The Pineapple Chunks have done well at Limbo in the past, so I think this is gig to go to if you’re looking for something a little off the beaten track.
The Mannequins – Little Black Book

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Saturday 23rd May 2009: Cats in Paris & Mitchell Museum at Cabaret Voltaire.

I should really be at the Stag & Dagger Festival in Glasgow watching Meursault on Saturday, but they asked me to sign release forms so that Meursault’s set could be both filmed and recorded and then denied me permission to film at the festival myself, so they can go and fuck themselves with a bag full of scorpions, frankly.  Instead, I will be at Cabaret Voltaire watching the very fashionable Cats in Paris and the very excellent Mitchell Museum.  The last time I saw Mitchell Museum was in a rather large venue, so somewhere more intimate and a little sweatier should be great fun.
Mitchell Museum – Arthur Loves the Shadows

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Saturday 23rd May 2009: Found, Player Piano, The Pictish Trail & King Creosote at the GRV.

I just don’t go the GRV, not really on purpose, more because they so rarely have my kind of music on the bill there that I get a little lazy about checking the listings.  This one is pretty bloody obvious though: a kind of Fence Collective Allstars get together, with all the charismatic alt-folk you could wish for.  Player Piano is more of a lush pop band though, and Found aren’t really folky at all, so I don’t think this would be the Fence Collective of hushed and lovely balladry which you might expect if you were coming along on the basis of a hundred-word newspaper clipping.
Player Piano – Anything At All

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Saturday 23rd May 2009: Anathallo, Samamidon, The Stormy Seas & Your Boy Blair at Sneaky Pete’s.

Anathallo, although I know very little about them, sound rather lovely from a quick skim of their MySpace page.  Also on the bill is the truly gorgeous Samamidon, and anyone who missed either of his Bowery gigs this Winter really should not miss this.  He has the loveliest voice and the most amazing way with a banjo you are likely to hear anywhere, ever.
Anathallo – The River

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Saturday 23rd May 2009: Lach at the Bowery.

Lach pretty much started what is generally thought of as the modern anti-folk movement in New York, and he certainly coined the phrase itself.  It’s hardly a new thing of course – Bob Dylan rubbed the folkies all up the wrong way when he first turned up as well, but they couldn’t really ignore him for all that long.  Getting a legendary figure like Lach to the Bowery is something of a coup as far as I’m concerned so, er, what the fuck am I going to do on Saturday with all these bands to see.  I can’t miss this one.
Lach – A Quiet Distance

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Sunday 24th May: Defiance Ohio, Madeline, Withered Hand, Torn Strings & Billy Liar at the Bowery.

Madeline is a big favourite of my pal Rich who writes the Georgia (no, the one in the States) blog Cable & Tweed, so I really think I should go to this.  After all, without Rich we would have no Porlolo, no Builders & the Butchers, no Loch Lomond, no Sleepy Horses and no 63 Crayons.
Madeline – White Flag

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Mrs. Toad (malingering old bag) and I are going to be live on Fresh Air at 6.30pm tonight, and I’ll post the playlist here as we go along.  This way any foul remarks can go here and not sully Fresh Air’s fine reputation as an upstanding family station.

Click on the big Listen Live button on this page to tune in.

01. King Creosote – No-one Had it Better
02. The Japanese War Effort – St John
03. Broken Records – Wolves
04. Eels – Fresh Blood
05. Jason Lytle – Flying Through Canyons
06. Jason Lytle – On a Piece of Wood I Go
07. Jesus H. Foxx – I’m Half the Man You Were
08. Yusuf Azak – The Key Underground
09. The Wave Pictures – Canary Wharf
10. Wilco – The Jolly Banker
11. Phil & the Osophers – They Threw a Shoe at You
12. The Leisure Society – The Last of the Melting Snow
13. Alberto Veto – Through Her Teeth
14. Rock Plaza Central – Don’t You Believe the Words of Handsome Men
15. The Limes – Dead Furniture
16. X Lion Tamer – Life Support Machine

Cheers folks, been fun.  See you next week 6.30pm-8pm once again.

I have been a big fan of Yusuf Azak since I first heard his recent EP, Light Procession, last year but I’ve yet to even have the chance to see him live.  I was, therefore, really looking forward to this lineup, not least because it also included Edinburgh’s favourite mercurial musical maniac Enfant Bastard.

Yusuf’s recorded material is heavily layered and full of effects, so I was really curious to see how this would translate to what was the most basic solo acoustic setup: him, his acoustic guitar, and nothing else.  The result was that one thing remained constant: his voice; and another emerged from the shadows to take centre stage: his guitar playing.

There is a really warm breathiness to his singing voice which is instantly captivating.  He doesn’t have the hoarse growl of a barroom bourbon guzzler, exactly, nor the hushed grumble of an ageing bluesman, more accurately he sings with a really easy, scratched and yet somehow also honeyed charisma.  Some voice, anyway, however you describe it.

The guitar playing is another genuine highlight.  I don’t have the technical knowledge to know whether or not what he was doing was difficult, but it fucking well looked it, and more importantly it sounded amazing.  I don’t know how much of his style comes from his Turkish (I think – sorry Yusuf, if I’m wrong) heritage and how much comes from the acoustic influences he cites, such as Eliot Smith or Nick Drake, but it sounds faintly exotic in any case, and makes for a superb combination with his vocals.

For something as basic as a bloke with an acoustic guitar, this felt like a band gig, somehow.  It was a great performance which was enveloped in a strangely self-contradictory aura of shyness and confidence, and one which makes me really want to see him play again. For those outside the half-dozen or so people in this audience, missing this gig was a mistake which you should rectify as soon as possible

Yusuf Azak – 19.19

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Yusuf Azak – The Key Underground

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