The Next Big Thing

It's some time since I saw Camera Obscura. Since then they've traded up and non-stop in pretty much that order. They've managed to shake off the popular misconception of them being a companion piece to Belle and Sebastian. I think that their recorded work is actually more consistent. And, for me, so are the songs. But anyway, a packed Liquid Room is indicative of a band whose star is in its ascendancy. There's something very "Swedish" about the delivery and inherent charm. At their best, CO deliver understated pop/folk in the tradition we've come to expect from Scandanavia. Tracyanne Campbell has an inflection in her vocal style that is practically exotic considering her Glaswegian origin. The fact that they recorded their latest album in Stockholm is purely coincidence. If I have a criticism, there was a bit too much changing of guitars, the gaps need to be tightened up. They could have added another song to the set in the time that was spent futzing around. That said, they’d just been re-joined by one of their number so maybe it was just a glitsch. Now that The Beautiful South have called it a day, there's no reason why these folks couldn't enjoy that level of success.

"Let's get out of this Country", had it come out ten years ago, would have been all over TV and radio where it mattered. Heck, Carey Lander's organ intro even sounds like the start of "Monk Time", on my telly at least. Everything is too fragmented now. The kind of concensus that carried this type of song to popularity doesn't exist anymore. Its potential is equal to any Texas, Deacon Blue, Simple Minds, you get my drift. They have a rare kind on connectability. Just to extend the Swedish aspect, they performed a version of “Super Trooper” that will be part of their forthcoming single. Abba as interpreted via David Lynch directing The Velvets instead of Andy Warhol. I imagine that they’ll go about their business until a break presents itself. A slow burn is always better in the end.

Still getting to grips with having had a couple of days without this damn thing. So far no real bollocks dropped. I’m going to try and wean myself off spending so much time in the screen glow now that the days are fair drawing out the way… before I bale though, check these out. Coming up this week!

El Rancho Relaxo
presents the first annual
'Country Music Easter Jubilee' featuring a variety of Glasgow's new country influenced groups.

Including...
The Gilded Angels http://www.myspace.com/thegildedangels
The Gilded Angels were formed under loud speakers in the final days of smokey Glasgow clubs, starting out with three and now numbering eight in their ranks, they are the complete 'Rolling Country Revue', digging deep to rewrite old country classics. They play Honky Tonk anthems of good times, bad times, about sweethearts and heartaches, focusing on chestnuts by the likes of Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Gram Parsons and George Jones. The Gilded Angels challenge the audience to have as much fun as they are having onstage, but at the same time they deliver musically.

Wilson Tan http://www.myspace.com/wilsontan
Wilson Tan are the unholy alliance between Merle Haggard and King Tubby featuring the bastard sons and daughters of Patsy Cline and Prince Far I. Their live Country Dub Soundsessions fuse two of the finest roots music in Country and 70's Jamaican Dub. Consisting of a core element of finely crafted songs, their live set always has an experimental feel with the dub sensibility coming to the fore, usually making no two gigs the same.

Skeleton Bob http://www.myspace.com/therealskeletonbob
Skeleton Bob write songs about Glasgow that sound like they're about America; songs about girls who did us wrong/proud. In a cavernous Glasgow cathedral many years ago a drunken-hearted boy lay lamenting the badness of girls and goodness of whiskey along with the only men who understood him; Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and Hank Williams. Thus Skeleton Bob was born and hope to soothe your trodden heart with a filthy-sweet sound thats been likened to Uncle Tupelo, The Handsome Family, Evan Dando, and The Jesus and Mary Chain.

The Parsonage http://www.myspace.com/parsonagechoir
Named in honour of the Grievous Angel, Mr Gram Parsons, The Parsonage is a group of around 50 Glasgow based singers which was formed at the beginning of 2006 by musician Janis F. Murray. She set out to fill a void within the local music community, gathering a host of like minded musical speculators, including artists, teachers, musicians, carers, hairdressers and writers, all of whom felt compelled to sing. Inspiration comes from the raw, storytelling simplicity of the folk, country and blues traditions, reinterpreted for a 21st Century audience as well as some more modern songs.

El Rancho Relaxo's very own El Patron & Pacey will be joined by some very special guest DJs to provide recorded muiscal accompyment throughout the evening. Expect the typical high calibre El Rancho playlist of Classic Country & Western, Alt. Country, Bluegrass, Psychedelic Folk, Southern Soul, Indie Americana, Troubadors, Outlaws and Unsung heroes...tonight more Country than anything else!

It all happens on Thursday 5th April 2007

The Grand Ole Opry, Paisley Road Toll
2-4 Govan Rd, Glasgow, G51 1HS Tel: 0141 429 5396
doors open 7pm - doors close 1am
4 Pounds in advance/ 5 Pounds on the door
Tickets available from The Grand Ole Opry &

Tickets Scotland, Argyle Street, Glasgow (in person).
Tel: 0141 204 5151 & Online: http://www.tickets-scotland.com

Ian Jnr. Crawford (El Patron)
Mobile 07977 222 858
El Rancho Relaxo: http://www.myspace.com/paceyandpatron
The Gilded Angels: http://www.thegildedangels.co.uk/
The Gilded Angels: http://www.myspace.com/thegildedangels

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If I was around then I'd seriously consider attendance but I'll be off on a special mission... as I type this I'm listening to Munster's Monks Demo Tapes 1965 release and jonesing to see the movie of the band in it's heyday. Something to exorcise the diappointment of last years London show. This recalls them when they were at least 40 years ahead of their time...

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Mr Percival has intimated the following...

Walter Lure is making it back to Europe for the first time since the good old days.

The line up will be:
Walter Lure: Guitar + lead vocals, Dee Jaywalker (ex-Definitivos, Whydads, Marky Ramone & the Speedkings,etc): Guitar + lead vocals, Paolo: (ex-Speculoos, Greyhounddogs, etc): Drums
Regine (ex-Faroutski) Bass + back vocals, Annette (ex-Lovehandles): Guitar + back vocals

Apr 6 - 10:00pm - Deep inside Dijon (Fr)
Apr 7 - 10:00pm - Cscs Valdegour Nimes (Fr)
Apr 8 - 10:00pm - tba Périgueux (Fr)
Apr 9 - 10:00pm - Le Metallic Orléans (Fr)
Apr 10 - 10:00pm - Mondo Bizzaro Rennes (Fr)
Apr 11 - 10:00pm - Spirit of 66 Verviers (Bel)
Apr 13 - 10:00pm - Chemiefabrik Dresden (Ger)
Apr 14 - 10:00pm - Wild at heart Berlin (Ger)

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