Category Archives: French Wives

The sound of 2012

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theblogsound_final5

A few weeks ago, disgusted at what much of the BBC Sound of 2012 was promising, I and several other blogs were approached by Andy Von Pip of the Von Pip Musical Express and asked to put forward our own nominations for the alternative sound of 2012.

Now only one of my five nominated acts got through – but democracy has achieved far worse things than that so here they are:

friends

1. Friends

Straight outta Brooklyn, Friends released two singles last year, ‘Friend Crush’ and ‘I’m His Girl.’ Now they may have chosen a name that is going to make Googling them very hard, but I think the two singles so far are great. Check out ‘I’m His Girl’:

Friends – I’m His Girl by LuckyNumberMusic

theme-park

2. Theme Park hail from London. So far they have released two singles ‘A Mountain We Love’/’Wax’ and ‘Ghosts’/’Milk’.

Ghosts by Theme Park

beth_jeans_houghton

3. Beth Jeans Houghton was someone I was aware of for much of last year – but when I finally heard her I was very pleasantly stunned by what I heard. Having released a number of singles over the last few years, her debut album Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose (yes, you did read that right) is out on February 6.

Beth Jeans Houghton – Dodecahedron by Mute UK

french-wives

4. French Wives I have long championed on this blog. They have released four singles so far – of which ‘Numbers’ is the latest and according to their website is the first track to be taken from their album Dream of the In Between. They have been working with producer Tony Doogan, in summer 2011 at Castle of Doom studios in Glasgow, and it is released in March 2012.

Numbers by French Wives

daughter

5. Daughter, led by Elena Tonra, released two EPs in 2011. Again, I have to put my hand up and say this was a name I reognised (I just get so much stuff sent to my inbox I have to gamble and it doens’t always pay off), but I’m glad I have listened now.

Remember folks, you can stream these artists above and go and buy their music. And it would be good to know what you think.

The Blog Sound of 2012 was masterminded by Andy Von Pip (as I said above – were you paying attention?), and as well as yours truly, the following blogs were involved:

Breaking More Waves
My Band Is Better Than Your Band
God Is In the TV
Sweeping The Nation
The Recommender
Faded Glamour
Drunken Werewolf
Flying With Anna
Not Many Experts
Under-classed Idle Ideas
Sonic Masala
Mudkiss
The Ring Master
Both Bars On
Music From A Green Window
Dots and Dashes
The Daily Growl
And Everyone’s A DJ
Kowalskiy
Just Music I Like
Cruel Rhythm
The Blue Walrus
Music Fans Mic
Eaten By Monsters
Seven Sevens
Unpeeled
Nu Rave Brain Wave
Peenko
Music Liberation, and last but not least…
Song, By Toad

The return of French Wives

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FrenchWives-EP-Launch-Poster

I’ve written about Glasgow’s French Wives before on this site; they are shortly to release a new single.

They’ve called it ‘Numbers’, and it’s going to be the first single from their new album produced by Tony Doogan. It’s coming out on October 24th and they’re having a launch night for it at Mono in Glasgow on Thursday the 20th with support from Blochestra and Endor, the latter doing an acoutsic set. They’re doing a presale for it on their new website.

It will be released on Electric Honey, who have given the world early releases from the likes of Belle and Sebastian, Snow Patrol, and Biffy Clyro; not to mention albums from the likes of 17 Seconds faves Wake The President and White Heath.

So awesome are they that Scott from the band actually got in touch to say he was happy for 17 Seconds to post the mp3, of this, their fourth single.

French Wives -‘Numbers.’ mp3

So much news to share with you

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Three very different but excellent bands I’ve been getting messages from in the last twenty four hours…

First of all, the French Wives…

french-wives

An intriguing email in the overcrowded inbox from the French Wives yesterday with this press release:

” As of Monday 15th November, French Wives will be commencing a series of give aways.

Each Monday, for the foreseeable future we will be offering friends, fans and foes the opportunity to download one of the many French Wives recordings that we have accrued over the last 2 years for nowt. It occurred to us that between old songs, new songs, live songs or acoustic songs there is quite a collection that we’re sitting on and we’d like people to have it. Some are good, some are probably bad in hindsight but regardless, we’d like you to have them.

Each free download is going to be accompanied with a blog post on this here myspace with some information about the recording and weekly video content.

We realised that perhaps there are a lot of people who have just seen or heard of us recently and thought this would be a nice way of letting you hear other songs that would be new to you and if you’ve been sailing on the good ship French Wives since day one, think of it as a nice little reward for your loyalty/toil.

So…….

Every Monday swing by www.myspace.com/thefrenchwives to pick up a free download, some insight and what I’m sure will be a HILARIOUS (probably not), unique (probably not) video…..

This series will be called The Home Fires…..

Keep them burning…..

French Wives….

If you haven’t heard them yet, check this out:

Next up: eagleowl will be supporting Broken Records on the scottish leg of their tour as well as doing some special shows of their own:

” We’re joining Broken Records for the Scottish leg of their UK tour – playing Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen this weekend. Friend, band mate and all round good egg Rob St John will also be playing a solo set to open. If you live in any these cities, it’d be very nice to see you.

Then we’ve three (3) more great shows in Edinburgh before the year’s out, each more exciting than the last – opening for Daniel, Fred & Julie (a new project featuring Julie Doiron. Swoon.), the Leith Tape Club Xmas special (on a boat!), and our own special Xmas show at Pilrig St Paul’s Church.

Our Xmas show is a ‘Stars in their Eyes’ special – where we will be dressing up and performing a set as one of our favorite bands. As will some other top Edinburgh acts. It’s going to be the best fun ever. You should probably come.

Then we’ll be hibernating for the rest of the winter.

Thanks for your time.
You complete me.

Bart
x

Find out more about those gigs here

Check out their Into the Fold EP, it’s amazing:

Then Tango in the Attic have a new single out next month called ‘Sketch by Quentin Blake.’

Stream it here:

Tango in the Attic – Sketch By Quentin Blake (single) by abadgeoffriendship

…and more from the French Wives!

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french-wives

I’ve blogged before about how much I like the French Wives.

Having released two fantastic singles already ‘Me Vs Me’ and ‘Hallowe’en’/’Dogfight’ the band have made a free to download single available, to coincide with their imminent tour. This is entitled ‘Welcome, in the light’ and you can download it by going to their myspace.

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The forthcoming tour sees them play not only Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dundee – but both English towns like Sheffield, London and Newcastle, but also places like Aviemore, Wick and Bathgate. Check their myspace for more details.

And go and get those other two singles as well…

Presenting…French Wives

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wee-wives

Over the last week, I’ve totally fallen for a band from Glasgow called French Wives. This five piece have released two awesome singles so far -‘Hallowe’en’/’Dogfight’ last October and this month they have issued their second ‘Me Vs. Me.’

As yet they are unsigned, but on the strength of their two singles, this surely won’t be the case for very long. They have several gigs lined up on their myspace page, and appearances at Rockness amongst other places, though nothing lined up in Edinburgh for now.

The band (Siobhan Anderson, Chris Barclay, Stuart Dougan, Scott W.D. Macpherson and Jonathyn Smith) include Sege Gainsbourg and Arcade Fire amongst their influences, as well as nearer to home bands like Camera Obscura and Belle and Sebastian. They sound like very few Glasgow bands I’ve ever heard (though if they have any musical kin I reckon it’s the mighty Fear The Fives). They sound European, in the same way that Broken Records sound European, though paardoxically I don’t think they sound much like Broken Records. I like to think they’ll appeal to people who like The Last Battle, burnit Island and the aforementioned Broken Records.

Make up your own mind -and please go and pay for the singles if you like this (three awesome unreleased tracks on their myspace too!):

French Wives -‘Hyndland Weather Bear.’ mp3