The opening theme of ‘My Tiny Robots’ creates a nice setting for what follows.

At first it’s hard to tell whether the lyrics might fall into a dearth of melancholy but it’s a pleasant surprise when the guitar kicks in.

In fact the lyrics are fairly light hearted, in some ways the melody and the words don’t quite match up but there is a well structured build up, albeit slightly repetitive.

This song could benefit from a bit more variation on the rhythm as well as the melody but it is nonetheless a catchy piece and definitely worth listen.

Words: Rachel Cunningham

Following the releases of Edinburgh band My Tiny Robots each step of the way has been not only rewarding but slightly nostalgic. Each track that comes our way from the quartet has us not only drooling in anticipation and delight at the results but likening them to eighties Scottish post punk/pop band Josef K. As the new single also called My Tiny Robots is unleashed May 28^th, that comparison goes much further than in flavours of sound.  My Tiny Robots is arguably the first band since Josef K to draw the same emotions as a release appears over the horizon. Musically they are uniquely distinctive from everyone else but each track they unveil is individual too, offering nothing but intrigue and an exciting prospect. You can never expect what you get, apart from the quality, and find oneself surprised at where they go and what they invent each time, and like the works of their older Scots the songs linger within long after they have taken flight from the ear.

My Tiny Robots is the last of a trio of singles to be released digitally and as a very special and limited physical edition via Woodthief Records. It follows the previous striking duo of tracks Guild Of Defiants and Zut Alor, both skilled and intelligent pieces of songwriting and music to inflame the passions. The band from the start with their debut EP Some Of My Best Ideas through the following EP Rock Bossa Nova Four Beat Black, has shown invention and imagination to their songs but this trio of releases has found a new elevation in  maturity and invention which is nothing less than impressive. It would not be too far to say the foursome of Dylan Childs (lead vocals, guitar), Ryan Marinello (guitar, drums, keys, vocals), Russell Williams (bass, keys), and Gareth Anderson (drums, percussion), stand in a small crowd of bands able to create tunes as instinctive to our passions as their own.

The track starts with a dusty rock guitar, its presence on the horizon a pull into the electronic breath and thick atmosphere brewing beneath. Once more Childs hits us with that wonderful Edwyn Collins toned voice as the electronic essences and weaves mill around the ear like early mist. The track does not take long to kick up a storm of electrified scuzz as the guitars and bass find angles and sounds as wonderfully discordant as they are caustically melodic nor does it take long to transport feelings back to the early Postcard label days to add to the unpredictable and inciteful ambience.  The song swings from relative calm into dirty frantic maelstrom of sounds and energy and back throughout and it is never less than hypnotic.

Arguably not the most accessible of the three tunes it is the most creative and striking with an infection just as deep as those with more barbed and inescapable hooks. The singles have shown the band in evolution and onto an even higher plateau with My Tiny Robots the most rewarding of all. Let us just hope the last of the triplet does not mean a long wait for the next instalment from the band, indie and music in general needs a constant output from My Tiny Robots, it is as simple as that.

www.facebook.com/MyTinyRobots

RingMaster 25/05/2012

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I haven’t covered My Tiny Robots for ages.They’re dead good. I did a review of their single Rock Bossa Nova Fourbeat Black last year, which you can find here. Anyway, they have a new single out May 28th, called My Tiny Robots.

My Tiny Robots are part of an electro/indie, ‘oddpop’ scene centred on Edinburgh that also includes Dead Boy Robotics and The Machine Room, both of which I’m pretty fond of. You can dispute my categorisation – those links are made up in my head – but  I think it’s pretty accurate.

I think it’s a little bit of an understatement to say I like it. I’ve actually had a great week for listening to brilliant new singles (read the other recent reviews) and some of the stuff being released right now will be sure to be on my list of awesome songs at the end of the year.

My Tiny Robots is a really great song. I’m not quite sure why they keep repeating their band name over and over again – perhaps this is meant to subliminally drum the words into my head, so that I will always tell my friends about them when we talk about music. If so, it’s not working – I’m just perplexed.

But it doesn’t get in the way of enjoying the song, which is great. There’s almost something Radioheadish about the trigger transition from quiet to loud, and maybe it’s just that the drop reminds of 2+2=5, but I really mean that in a good way. Regardless, it’s a great example of what My Tiny Robots can unleash. I want more oddpop.

‘Zut Alors’ is yet another promising single from Edinburgh’s My Tiny Robots this time built on melancholy and dark melodies that gradually portrays a damning anger.

Starting with a slow, haunting acoustic sound, it slowly develops into upbeat layers and is a fantastic second release this winter in a series of three from the four-piece.

This latest release has without a doubt proved any cynics wrong that the bands previous single ‘Guild of Defiants’ will be hard to match.

Continuing the powerful melodies and indie influence, ‘Zut Alors’ has proved that this band can develop their sound and displays the diversity of their song writing abilities.

The lyrics: “Father, why have you forsaken me?” are almost shouted on the record echoing the overall eerie melodies.

Where their past records hold a lighter and guitar based indie sound, this four minute single shows the band’s maturity and depth as well as capturing their flourishing artistry.

Words: Sarah Devine

Whatever is in the drinking water up in Scotland that is dripping into its musical creativity long may it continue. This especially applies to the city of  Edinburgh with bands like Letters, My Tiny Robots and Dead Boy Robotics have more than made a stir over recent months and releases. Joining them is The Machine Room who will release their new EP Love From A Distance on March 5^th. The new EP follows up previous acclaimed singles Girly which formed part of a split release with a song from Dead Boy Robotics for the TAPE singles club and Camino de Soda, which finds a place also on the EP.

The Machine Room create music which soothes the senses, its dream pop/shoegaze caresses a smooth yet startling stroke across the ear and beyond. The quintet of John Bryden, Tom Adam, Adie Emanuel, Scott Hitchings, and Ryan Marinello explore and bring forth music and expression influenced by the likes of New Order, Depeche Mode, and seemingly at times with a spice of the likes of Blancmange, though The Machine Room never more than dip their toes in the easily accessible waters of electronic eighties pop.

Consisting of four quite varied songs within the overall jangly guitar and broad soaring synth sound, the EP is an expression of love gone wrong and its contemplation. The opening song Cost Of Progress immediately stands out and remains through the length of the EP the strongest and most engaging song. With a nagging bass throughout and dazzling spotlight like melodies the song sways and leans upon the ear wonderfully with more than a heavy feel of eighties band The House Of Love, and with the wonderful falsetto sound of vocalist John Bryden has a definite flavor of Shine On from the Guy Chadwick led band to it. Attentive and attention seeking the song is a glorious flight for the ear to catch a ride upon and the one song that surely will take the band to more and more hearts.

The electronic driven Your Head On The Floor Next Door comes next, dripping with an ethereal gentleness which sparkles within its harder crystalline flow; the song dazzles rather than erupts within the ear. It is another song that one can see many finding the doorway to the bands sounds through, its honest well lit journey a simple joy.

Previous single Camino de Soda fingers the senses with care and an easily pleasing nature. It is not hard to see why the song drew much attention to the band when it was released the latter part of last year but against the previous two songs it does dim in its light a little despite being an attraction the ear cannot deny.

The heavier tones and emotion of Picking Holes completes the release to further delighted satisfaction. Again with a New Order like touch the song offers an emotive mass that soaks the feelings with a melancholic density to temper the other more vibrant sounds previously unveiled on the release, though at no point can the EP be accused of being in party mode.

      Love From A Distance is a refreshing release that coaxes rather than enflames the senses. It does not hold a song with an infectious hook or hypnotic melody to easily captivate but offers a mesmeric charm and knowing arm around the shoulders for the same result. For sounds where emotion and touching sounds walk arm in arm The Machine Room is your destination.

RingMaster 28/02/2012

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‘Zut Alors’ is the second of a series of three singles to be released this winter by Edinburgh based ‘oddpop’ quartet MY TINY ROBOTS. 

Although perhaps a little more conventional in its content than the band’s billing may imply, ‘Zut Alors’ adopts a bit of a ‘Celtic’ feel this time, reflecting the age-old Caledonian / French alliance and association. 

It opens slowly with the strummed acoustic guitar and quietly hummed musings filling me with the dread that this is heading directly down the twee Folk road. Fortunately however, it takes a positive turn after one minute forty-five, when it adopts a more full sound with the bass and drums joining in. It still has a bit of Scottish feel despite the French chorus, with the drumming in particular encouraging thoughts (in my simplistic head at least) of a Braveheart-inspired call to the kilted battlefields of old. 

On reflection, maybe ‘oddpop’ is the correct description after all. 

(Released through Woodthief Records and available now – January 2012) 

(7.5 /10) 

____________________________________

With each release Edinburgh’s My Tiny Robots has shone brighter and engaged deeper with their eclectic melodic discordant sounds. From their debut release the Some Of My Best Ideas EP of 2007 through to the free to download single ‘Rock Bossa Nova Four Beat Black’ via the Rock Bossa Nova EP the quartet has intrigued and thrilled with their imaginative well crafted songs.

November of last year saw the release of the first of three singles from the band in the shape of the captivating ‘Guild Of Defiants’. This past week saw the release of single two ‘Zut Alor’ and yet another mesmeric and sparkling release from the quirk pop band. Once more the distinct melodic yet discord spiced vocal combination of Dylan Childs and Ryan Marinello swarm all over their own jangly hypnotic guitars. Backed by the thoughtful rhythms of drummer Gareth Anderson and the moody bass of Russell Williams the foursome create their own unique sound. In a previous review of ‘Guild Of Defiants’ which we loved we ended by saying “the song is not ground breaking as such and does not deliver any striking surprises…” To clarify that and to put it into context with regard to the band’s music, against all other current contemporaries My Tiny Robot offer fully original and inspired songs that few if any match in sound. What the band does do though is bring forth the intelligent and musical quiddities of very early Orange Juice and definitely the brilliant Josef K. Whether intentional or by chance there is a certain defined similarity and evolution from the 80’s band’s sound, reinterpreted into their own striking creations which is the reason for the original comment.

‘Zut Alor’ starts on an emotively touching subdued feel, caressing the ear for a soothing minute before unfurling tantalising guitars and firm rhythms. The single has a more chaotic feel once it swells into its full texture making it less instant then the previous single but more adventurous and eventful. As with most of their songs ‘Zut Alor’ is instinctively anthemic, it invites and encourages spirit and voice to join its call without trying.

Released with Wood Thief Recordings, ‘Zut Alor’ is another dazzling track from My Tiny Robots and leads to the eagerest anticipation and impatience for third single ‘My Tiny Robots’ later in the year.

http://www.mytinyrobots.com/

RingMaster 25/01/2012

My Tiny Robots – Zut Alor

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‘Guild Of Defiants’ is the first of three singles from the band to be released digitally and as a very special and limited physical edition via Woodthief Records. Following previous and acclaimed releases in their debut EP Some Of My Best Ideas and the follow up EP Rock Bossa Nova Four Beat Black, the foursome return with a song that captures the imagination with its carefully crafted melodies and uncluttered tight guitars. Along with their EP’s, the sharing of stages with the likes of The Maccabees , Jack Penate, and Minus The Bear has increased their standing and this new single will only reinforce and expand their status as one of the more exciting indie pop makers around.

From the opening jangly guitar and Edwyn Collins like vocals from guitarist Dylan Childs one knows what they are going to get, insightful and wonderfully crafted sounds, it is that apparent that quickly. Of course previous songs have also shown this but even to newcomers to My Tiny Robots their skill and intelligent touch is easy to see right away. Harmonised vocals with Childs and fellow guitarist Ryan Marinello ease the way for the song to make its way deeper into the heart guided by firm and patient rhythms from bassist Russell Williams and Gareth Anderson on drums. The song has an element of the Orange Juice track ‘Simply Thrilled Honey’ about it, clasping the slightly discordant melodies tightly to its chest. The added scuzzed guitar sounds as the song reaches its climax gives the track an extra edge and layer to seal a triumphant return and song.

It would be honest to say that the song is not ground breaking as such and does not deliver any striking surprises but what ‘Guild Of Defiants’ does do is make one feel warm and completely content with its charismatic touching melodies and heart stirring creativity far more than other singles released this year so far. A great pop song should do more and go deeper than simply gracing the ear, something My Tiny Robots instinctively have the ability to eagerly do.

http://mytinyrobots.bandcamp.com/

RingMaster 17/11/2011

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Just as LOUD HORIZON is about to turn its sleepy head towards hibernation, this single from Edinburgh based ‘oddpop’ quartet MY TINY ROBOTS drops through the letterbox. Fortunately, the weather has not yet turned cold enough to induce my proposed period of torpor and so, despite the track title instantly making me think ‘Biffy Clyro,’ I give it a spin. 

Good call! This little gem would possibly make my Top 10 singles for the year …….if I could ever be arsed to compile such a thing. 

What qualifies it thus? It’s hard to say, actually. Maybe it’s the simplicity? Maybe it’s the rhythm of the guitar loop that has me quite errantly chanting ‘On A Rope, On A Rope’ in a Rocket From The Crypt fashion? Perhaps it’s because it reminds me of early Orange Juice / Edwyn Collins. Or is it simply because it reflects sort of chic artrock styles promoted in the best music journal around? 

(Artrocker Magazine, stupid!)

More often than not, when an accompanying Press Sheet drops in the headline acts with whom the subject band have ‘shared a stage’ I simply dismiss the claim as vacant and meaningless. Frequently this just means the promoter expects ticket sales to be slow and so drafts in the services of a local band with a decent local following. 

On this occasion though, and purely on the evidence of this single, I am prepared to believe that MY TINY ROBOTS were offered support slots on the basis that their style and standard complimented the likes of Young Knives, The Maccabees, Dum Dum Girls, Minus The Bear the 1990s and the (magnificent) Blood Arm. 

(Released through Woodthief Records on 14^th November 2011) 

(8.5 / 10)

______________________________

‘Rock Bossa Nova Fourbeat Black’ – I know. It sounds like the silliest title you could give a track after those emo-bands-that-tell-little-stories-whenever-they-get-a-chance-instead-of-coming-up-with-a-proper-name-for-a-song if you catch my drift. My Tiny Robots, on the other hand, might be onto something as their single is like an amalgamation of many, many different elements – it’s exactly what it says on the tin.

Electro sounds, techno claps, rock guitars, regional accents – they’re all in there in varying measurements and weirdly there’s a Guy Ritchie gangster feel to everything that I quite like. A level of sleaze and swagger added in that’s strangely intoxicating. It’s a little thinly spread unfortunately, and the result is a little disappointing. A middle of the road choice when it comes to tempo doesn’t help matters, the result is a dish that’s neither sweet nor sour, that contains too many underlying textures and tastes.

That’s not to say that there’s no ambition present. There’s clearly a structure to it all, it’s just that it’s undercooked, a bit rare for my liking. The single is good enough, but there’s a feeling that when you listen to My Tiny Robots that they could do so much better than good enough.

Words: Matthew Slater

I’ve known of My Tiny Robots for ages, and in fact missed seeing them live by a matter of minutes a couple of times last year. So I sort of had them on my radar as one of Scotland’s better electro/indie acts. Having heard their new track, Rock Bossa Four Note Beat Black, I have revised my opinion: they’re one of the best acts of their genre in the UK right now.

This new preview is the first track to come out before they release three new singles in October, digitally and on limited physical release. And I really really like it; or me to like it, when my personal tastes generally are prejudiced against non-folk, non-guitar music, it must be pretty good.

Cancel The Astronauts / My Tiny Robots / The Bad Books – ‘Seven Vices’ single launch, Electric Circus, Edinburgh – Sunday 11th September

This is starting to get ridiculous. Cancel the Astronauts appear to be one of the most prolific bands in Scotland in terms of songwriting at the moment and they’ve only gone and done it again.

Last night’s single launch show at the Electric Circus was brought to a thundering conclusion not with the traditional set closer ‘Let’s Go Expo’ but instead by a rather good new song ‘While I Was Sleeping’. Which rather begs the question whether or not they will ever finish their album because this song is apparently just 3 weeks old. Which means that it post dates the MPT podcast during and even they were lamenting the difficulties in choosing songs for the record.

Fears for its influence on the arrival of the LP, ‘While I Was Sleeping’ added something extra to what was probably the best show I’ve seen the band play. On previous visits, I’ve not been a huge fan of the sound at the Electric Circus but last night it was pretty much spot on. And Cancel the Astros made the most of that with a tremendous 9 song set.

Undoubtedly brimming with confidence at the moment, they mixed up the old and the new with an increasing emphasis on the latter. Lead EP tracks ‘Funny For A Girl’ and ‘Fanclub’ were dispensed early on and matched with excellent B’ side ‘Playing Hard to Get’ and newer material such as ‘Love Backwards’, ‘Making Dynamite’ and of course the single that the whole evening was about ‘Seven Vices’.

And yet, the finish probably topped what had gone before – ‘Intervention’ is undoubtedly one of their best songs (regardless of vintage) and ‘While I Was Sleeping’ was the perfect way to conclude the set.

Cancel The Astronauts are currently riding something of a wave which hopefully will carry them onto bigger and better things. Catch them whilst they’re still playing places of this size.

If the headlining set would have been good enough on its own, then the support sets really enhanced the evening.

Both My Tiny Robots and The Bad Books delivered fine, varied sets. I particularly enjoyed the openers, the Bad Books, who were playing only their fourth show. Already they seem to have a really strong set with closing number ‘Don’t Ever Change’ maybe the best of the lot. There’s a sense of showmanship here too with main singer Graham disappearing off into the crowd with his megaphone during the final number before re-emerging on the stage via the top of the bar having traversed its entire length in the course of his wanderings.

Playing between these two performances was something of an unenviable task but My Tiny Robots did a fine job. If they occasionally let my attention drift to the distracting screens behind the stage, they still had a number of excellent songs. Defintely worth keeping an eye on.

CTA setlist

1. Animal Love Match  2. Funny for a Girl 3. I am The President of Your Fanclub  4. Playing Hard to Get  5. Love Backwards  6. Seven Vices  7. Making Dynamite  8. Intervention  9. While I Was Sleeping

MPT Competition

To celebrate the official release today of ‘Seven Vices’, MPT has a copy of the single to give away along with a copy of the second CTA EP ‘Funny For A Girl’.

To stand a chance of winning these two shiny CDs simply answer the following question:

Should ‘Intervention’ be on the debut Cancel The Astronauts LP?

To enter, please email the correct answer to the email address on the right over there by Sunday 18th Septemer at 12 noon whatever current UK time currently is.

Subjective question, I know, but the editor’s decision (that’s me) is final. Go!

A reminder of MPT podcast #9 with all five members of Cancel The Astronauts.

some news for you first of all: we have a few upcoming gigs, firstly tonight (tuesday (it’s tuesday the 27th of july, today)) in cabaret voltaire with the dum dum girls and my tiny robots, which promises to be a lot of fun, and is also our first show in an age….

then we’ve got retreat, which’ll be a blast, on the 28th of august at pilrig st. pauls on leith walk, and come on gang‘s single launch at the caves on septemebr the 10th, where found are also playing. the caves is one of my favourite venues in edinburgh, and the backstage area is full of local ghosts, so we’re really looking forward to this one too.

we’ve just been in the depot recording four new songs, so hopefully that means the album is close to being done. it’s finally starting to feel like it. of course, it also feels like the process could go on indefinitely, infinitely, so it’s not over til it’s over….

finally, here’s a song, for you.

this is an outtake from our first single session, when were a four-piece, which we don’t play anymore, but has a certain charm to it i think. it’s called “when you’ve got the sads real bad”.

m.

How are you? I am fine.

Tomorrow (tomorrow), we are playing a gig as part of ‘Haddow Fest’. Look! That’s the logo for ‘Haddow Fest’ there ————————->

There’s lots of other bands playing ‘Haddow Fest’ too. All for £20 I gather. See the lineup and locations HERE.

We’re on at 4:20 at the Bongo Club. This is quite early. But not that early. I know this because I never get up early on my days off. Tommorrow I am off and I will almost certainly be up then.

There are other bands on in other venues at 4:20. I’m not saying they’re rubbish or anything, but you should definitely come see us. I suspect if you’re reading this you might already be planning to do so. We played with The Debuts before. They were good. The other bands all sound good too. What I’m saying is we’d like for you to come and see us, but be aware that other bands are, in fact, available.

We Were Promised Jetpacks are on at the Bongo Club too. They’re on last. They’re obviously very good. Nice chaps too. We saw them play before our first ever gig. They were very good. It fair put the wind up us. Anyway, we’ll be there to see them as we haven’t seen them play since then and their album is rather splendid.

Uh… who else is playing you ask. Well, My Latest Novel (they’re wonderful), Idlewild (I’ll always have a soft spot for the ‘wild)… Lots of bands are playing. Okay? Go check out that link I posted above and am now reposting HERE.

Also: Next Week: Sneaky Petes with the fabulous My Tiny Robots. It’s on Friday. The 2nd.

Probably post about that nearer the time. Maybe not the night before though.

!!! EP News !!!

It’s nearly done!

!!! Synth Player News !!!

I haven’t left the band. Or exploded. I am still a biped.
I did cheat on Cancel The Astronauts though.

Here is a photo of me playing keyboard for the rather splendid Kid Canaveral at the recent Fence Homegame 7. You can just about see me on the far left.

They were very good, as ever, I wasn’t.

It was a pleasure to play with them, but I won’t be leaving CTA as I love them all very much and doubt anyone else would have me. It was very odd looking over and not seeing Matty.

This photo was taken by Hardsparrow.

!!! Synth Player Update !!!

I’ve just eaten a pie and am about to watch ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ with my lady friend.

Byeeeee.

The Chew lips gig was AMAZING! Have to say really sorted out my week! Sneaky Pete’s isn’t the most of sexy venues, but i love it its small intimate and covered in posters  and sweat drips from the air conditioning!  Chew lips, however, didn’t make it on stage till 10pm which sucked loads. They were supported by i think “My Tiny Robots” and another band from Glasgow called Boycotts. I think don’t quote me on this at all i was quite pissed! Strange thing is i knew the basest and lead singer from we are toy robots. I hadn’t seen them for a while! have to say Dylan was looking good even if a bit tanned in the black lighting …he was also wearing an ace shirt with pineapples on it !!! They rocked with the ukulele and moody bass from Russell.

   Boycotts were even more awesome sauce, the lead singer singing with a well   cute flower in her hair and totally loved what she was doing. By this stage Satan had entered the building and stood right in front of me. He was creepy and really fucking odd in his Armani Suit with a blonde for a girl friend So missed a lot of their gig but they really sounded great They have had some cool stuff written about them by our local newspaper lets hope we see more of them. I know they are playing next at Cabaret Voltaire on the 25th so might have to go see see them without Satan’s backside blocking the view.

Last but not least came Chew lips…by this time i was well passed sober but they were really good. I think the fact they came on so late does, however, point to a bit of a diva complex …maybe she already thinks she is la roux? Who knows….the tunes were awesome even though no one really sang along (even after she asked lol) but they were immaculate and brilliant and i loved listening to them, so as soon as they finished (10:40 to be accurate!) zoomed on over to electric circus to see Ian ryan superstar…

    As always he was top banana even though playing to a sparsely populated house by this time i was really pissed so kinda hard to remember the last three songs i caught but they were cool (he’s always so much better live to see him is to see the “performance” so to speak!). The usual art crowd were there. Have to say electric circus is amazing and definitely a venue everyone should go to to see live acts its like a pumping neon palace with its own sound proof karaoke room! (I also thought it had a one way mirror but noooo i was so wrong found out once i was licking it lol). Hung out with a few of the acts that were also on that night (hello “Ted” from san francisco) and then disappeared up our bum holes in Pivo to the wee hours.

All in all a really good night just glad i wasn’t working and so so wished i had my camera weep……

Some bands appear to do everything right but, when the proverbial push comes to shove, fail to light up the stage. Thankfully, Edinburgh trio My Tiny Robots [MTR] are not one of these bands.

The Robots in the studio

Comprised of frontman Dylan Childs and multi-instrumentalists Ryan Marinello (also of Occasional Flickers fame) and Russell Williams, MTR illuminate the ear-canals with a forever sought but rarely captured trait: charisma.

Underpinned by a playful sense of humour, there’s a great diversity to MTR’s songs. Childs notes: “We always find it reassuring that any comparisons to other bands tend to differ wildly according to the songs that people have heard at any given time.”

A trip to the band’s MySpace confirms this, with the punkish shards of live favourite The Haircut Song juxtaposing against a bizarre cover of Greece staple You’re The One That I Want. It’s a contrast that typifies MTR’s refusal to take life too seriously.

So far, the band’s output has consisted of EPs, with their first release, Some of my Best Ideas, put out on their own label Kraken Records. There are plans afoot to release two more EPs in the spring, but the ultimate aim, according to Childs, “is to make an album or two that we are all really proud of”.

He adds: “None of us has aspirations of world domination, but any time someone you don’t know comes up to you in the street to tell you they think one of your songs is amazing rates pretty highly.”

MTR typify the DIY scene in Scotland by making much of their music at home, although they admit to problems when it comes to the practicalities:

“Recording is often hampered by trying to cram one normal person and two 6′ 5″ – but slim – people into a tiny spare room to share one of the two mics without banging their heads on a cabin bed,” says Childs.

Describing the Edinburgh scene of five years ago as “Glasgow’s fractious and incoherent cousin”, Childs is keen to hail the impact of bands like Meursault, Withered Hand and Jesus H Foxx in breaking new ground for the east coast.

Going hand in hand with this new-music revolution, Childs attributes “some brilliant independent promoters, three times the decent venues of five years ago and bloggers that people actually read” to the success of the scene.

As one of Auld Reekie’s most popular live acts, MTR are a band that understands the need to entertain. But if there’s any doubt about their musical acumen, one listen to Other People Matter will end the debate. It’s not just Edinburgh that needs bands like this; it’s the whole goddamn country.

There is no better poster. It’s so awesome I’m not even going to repeat the relevant details, ‘cos there’s no way whatever rubbish font this is can compete with that. It’s all there anyway. Come along!

Modern types may wish to inform the facebook of their plans.

Plenty of things going on this week, as per usual, although I am trying not to just prattle on about the same old groups week after week – all too easily done when reporting on any local music scene.

If I was going to all of these gigs I’d have a marriage and a liver in tatters by the end of this week.  I’d also have to carve myself into four equal slices on Friday in order to go to everything I want to go to.  Funnily enough though in a week of such riches I am not going to be at all that much.  Tuesday is my last show on Fresh Air Radio, Wednesday is the Champion’s League Final and Friday I have to go to something related to Mrs. Toad’s work.  She doesn’t demand much of me, the old lass, so I can’t very well insist on this one and, frankly, it spares me having to choose between four different gigs, all of which I want to attend.  So maybe no bad thing after all.

Tuesday 20th May 2008: Feist at the Queen’s Hall.
I am not sure if I would go to this one, myself, were it not for my last Fresh Air show rendering that question somewhat academic.  I did enjoy her album, and I do like her sound in general, although it can become a little bland after a while.  Maybe if the show was priced affordably I would have gone, but in any case, very much worth considering.
Feist – 1234

Wednesday 21st May 2008: Caribou at Cabaret Voltaire.
For those not watching the Champions’ League final, Caribou have finally arrived in Edinburgh, months after their last gig was cancelled.  Math rock, it gets called occasionally, so
Caribou – Sandy

Wednesday 21st May 2008: Glissando, Meursault & The Kays Lavelle at the Wee Red Bar.
I’ve never heard of Glissando, but Euan’s Trampoline nights never fail to deliver, so pop along for a couple of local favourites and some epic miserablism from Leeds.
Glissando – Floods

Thursday 22nd May 2008: My Tiny Robots & Babybones at the Voodoo Rooms.
My Tiny Robots are a group I’ve had recommended to me on numerous occasions.  Good indie guitar stuff from the sounds of it, along with a suitably tortured vocal.  Babybones I don’t know at all, but this looks like another good lineup from Limbo.  It’s my only free night this week, so will Mrs. Toad let me go?  Hmm, touch and go, but I rather fancy this one.
My Tiny Robots – Haircut Song

Friday 23rd May 2008:
There’s so much going on this Friday that I could sprain my wanking hand just typing it all out, so here’s a list instead.  Either go and see Black Diamond Express at The Ark, or pop along to Henry’s for St. Jude’s Infirmary, who have a new album approaching, and are supported by Come On Gang, or alternatively there’s Times New Viking and Meursault at Studio 24, or finally there’s also The Declining Winter at the Stills Gallery on Cockburn Street.  I know nothing about this last lot, but they sound rather good.  Any of these gigs would be worth your time, frankly, but guess what – I’ll be at none of them.  I have to schmooze with Mrs. Toad and be a good wife at a dinner thingy of some description.  No swearing there, and no rock and fucking roll either.  Christ I’ve sold out.
Black Diamond Express – Jack

Sunday 25th May 2008: The Young Republic at Cabaret Voltaire.
When I first started writing about their often country-tinged, genre-hopping indie pop I remember exchanging emails with Julian Saporiti that when along the line of ‘If we ever get to Edinburgh you’ll have to come along to one of our shows’ and was said with such heavy irony that we were both acknowledging just how unlikely that was to ever happen.  Well fair bloody play to ‘em, because since signing to End of the Road Records and the really positive reception given to their debut album 12 Tales From Winter City, here they are.
The Young Republic – Mary Ellen (Live)