Once upon a time I banged a lonely drum for The Low Miffs, but it's nice to see that other people on the blogosphere have since turned up with their drumsticks to make some noise.
JC over at The Vinyl Villain brings news that the Low Miffs have just recently released their debut album and he's so in love with it that he's broken with blog tradition and mentioned a record released this millennium. (Only half- joking.)
Check out the video at the bottom of JC's post for a flavour of their music. Of course, it's fitting that they're recording with Malcolm Ross of Josef K and Orange Juice fame. The old Sound of Young Scotland spawned many a kid and some, in turn, have picked up instruments.
Also check The Low Miffs MySpace page for info on the album, a forthcoming tour and a comment from the Socialist Standard MySpace page that dates from April 21st 2006. The comment is gushing over one their older songs, 'Also Sprach Shareholder' . It's the song that first got me into them and I've been looking out for them ever since.
One word of warning, though; the lead singer, Leo Condie, is, how can I put this?, a lot like marmite. I happen to like marmite. Some people don't. More fool them.
A jazz/swing cover version of Aztec Camera's 'Somewhere In My Heart'?
Todd Gordon has done the honours and it's better than the original. First person to mention Mike Flowers in the comments box gets strangled with my loose bow tie.
Since I stumbled across them accidently on MySpace about 12 months ago, I've been banging a lonely drum for the Low Miffs, but it's good to see that finally someone from the inkies, the Scotland on Sunday, has also cottoned onto their excellence as well.
I'm cut and pasting the review from the Scotland on Sunday, 'cos the mini review is buried half way down the page:
"In previous years, unsigned bands such as My Latest Novel and Popup have played this event and gone on to bigger things. Thursday's big promise was the camp, electrifying rock 'n' roll outfit the Low Miffs, who have been going since 2003 and thankfully sound completely different to anything else coming out of Glasgow at the moment. Part shambolic, part super-slick German cabaret show, the lead singer, Leo Condie, makes for a perfect master of ceremonies, like Scotland's own Scott Walker with some Jarvis, Jacques Brel and sleazy sax thrown in. In seconds, Oran Mor is transformed into a seedy underground speakeasy as the foppish Condie launches into songs with names such as 'Cressida', 'Earl Grey' and 'Also Sprach Shareholder'. There is even an ode to Kirsty Wark and a moment when Condie leaps from the stage and performs lying on his back on the dancefloor. It's all high drama and good, dirty fun.
Check out their tunes on their MySpace page. Everyone - bar the Grateful Dead fan in West Lothian - will recognise their promise.
Hat tip to Matt C for the picture. Apologies that it took 8 months for me to find an excuse to use it.
An ongoing series:
Down the Tiny Steps, 'Handstand' (Get While The Getting's Good compilation) Sonic Youth, 'Sunday' (A Thousand Leaves) blaknoisewhitesoul, 'RuleBreaker' Wire, 'French Film Blurred' (Chairs Missing) Dr Who, 'London Town' Down the Tiny Steps, 'Infintea' (Live Radio Scotland session) XTC, 'Helicopter' (Drums And Wires) Superqueens, 'Rat Poison' (Royal Shit) The Rakes, 'Dark Clouds' (B-side to 'Retreat') High Priests, 'Hibernation'
A Musical Interlude
Found this excellent song via the good people at Tasty Fanzine, and though I'm not sure about Tasty's description of it as sounding like "Debbie Harry duetting with Iggy Pop" - I think it starts off sounding more like Alison Goldfrapp singing vocals over an old Godfathers' track - its kick arse quality means that it parachutes straight in as the new profile song on the unofficial Socialist Standard MySpace page.
And of course they have a myspace page.
