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Lou McLean – Locked Down in Leith

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Due to be released on the 8th of March, Locked Down in Leith is the new five track EP from Edinburgh singer-songwriter Lou McLean.  A record of her own experience of lockdown, it is sure to  resonate with all those dealing with the loss of so many of life’s certainties whilst yearning for a return to normality.

Opening song Goodbye sums up the feelings of helplessness and vulnerability so many of us have felt as the events of the past year unfolded before us. Lou McLean’s clever lyrics ensure that this is no mere gloom- fest though.  You can only smile as she asks, ‘Can I turn this crisis in to a banging song?’ (The answer, by the way,  is an emphatic yes.)

Adventures in Vulnerability contains one of the most heartbreakingly honest opening verses you are likely to hear this year or any other year. In just a few short lines the long-term damage caused by a past traumatic event is laid bare. The sparse arrangement and Lou Mclean’s tender vocals capture the  raw emotion of the lyrics perfectly.

The World is on Fire provides a wonderfully wistful few minutes as the singer contemplates past relationships with others and herself. It’s a lovely wee reminder of the importance of dealing with the self-doubt that hits us all occasionally.

Let’s Dance flows from the speakers like a soothing balm. Lou McLean’s vocals make for a comfortingly warm listen here. The wit in her lyrics is never too far from the surface of this one either.

What we all want from this lock down is a happy ending and that is exactly what Lou Mclean gives us with the final track , Glam Bam. Those carefree days in a new relationship when ‘the rules don’t apply when it feels right’ are relayed perfectly. It is an uplifting note to end on.

Locked Down in Leith sees Lou Mclean build on the firm foundations of her 2017 collection, Good Morning Easter Road.   This feels like a real step forward.  Let’s hope that there is a full album to come in the not too distant future.

Find out more  on Facebook.

Follow Lou McLean on Twitter.

Locked Down in Leith is available to pre-buy HERE

Buy Locked Down in Leith  at loumcleanmusic.bandcamp.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home, Music

Fistymuffs – We Fight

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About Time, the 2018 debut EP from Fistymuffs, was so full of energy it practically vibrated. It’s good to find that during the intervening period none of that initial fire has dimmed.

We Fight contains another  four fine songs from the band.  Whilst still providing some of the rawest post punk moments you will hear, there is more subtlety at work here  with songs heading off in directions you don’t quite expect.

Opener Hey You! is a straight out Riot Grrl call to arms.  There is no intro, all niceties are dispensed with as the band drag you straight in to their world.  Singer Ashley Stein will have you feeling like you are being dragged into a vortex with her insistent ‘Listen to me’ refrain. It’s more than slightly unsettling and  compulsive listening.

Next up is Gentrification of Leith, a song inspired by the Save Leith Walk campaign, launched after property developers submitted plans to demolish a row of sandstone buildings including the much loved music venue Leith Depot. This may be a protest song but the band don’t resort to mere  preaching here, rather they deliver their message against a pleasingly trippy musical backdrop.

Riots Not Diets puts the diet industry firmly in the band’s sights and they continually hit the target. The constant change of pace is inspired as the track veers from anger to frustration and back with visits to several points in between.

The final track Survivors Write History (there is also a Radio Edit version present) is the most melodic song on the EP and packs the biggest emotional punch. It’s possibly unfair to single out a highlight when each song is so strong but for me, this was it, an absolute triumph.

We Fight showcases a band who hold nothing back. Please check them out on bandcamp where you can buy the EP and some rather wonderful merchandise as well.  And if you are new to the band you should definitely check out previous EP,  About Time.

Fistymuffs are Ashley Stein on Vocals and Bass, Suky Goodfellow on Guitar and Vocals and Nikki Fox on Drums.

You can buy We Fight here. 

Send the band some love on Twitter,

And check out the latest Fistymuff news on Facebook. 

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Fistymuffs – About Time

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Launched on the 28th of July at the Leith Depot, About Time is the debut four track EP from Edinburgh Punk trio, Fistymuffs.  It’s an utterly compelling collection of songs which screams out to be heard from start to finish.

Opening track Innocent Contact begins with a spoken word monologue, the powerful yet controlled anger demanding your attention.  As the band kicks in the raw energy is cranked up to the max as the gropers and uninvited personal space dwelling men are left in no doubt that their actions are anything but innocent.

Coercive Control deals with destructive mental abuse. The grungy riff underpinning the track serves as a perfect backdrop to the dark subject matter.  The smart lyrics are deployed like a scalpel.  ‘Show me the scars, this isn’t abuse’ skillfully lays bare the self-serving excuses of the abuser in just two short lines.

Time tells the story of an escape from an abusive relationship.  The staccato guitar playing and slightly trippy bass throughout the verses creates a claustrophobic atmosphere which only begins to disperse as the moment of escape approaches.  It’s an intense few minutes and may well be the pick of the tracks here.

The final track, Fistymuffs Anthem is classic pop punk, the singalong choruses proving hard to resist as the band lay out exactly what they are all about.  By the end of it you are left in no doubt that this band are more than a group, they’re a gang.

You certainly won’t be filing About Time under easy listening but the raw emotion and urgency throughout deserves to see it filed under essential listening.  If this is the starting point then following Fistymuffs over the next few years should be quite a journey.

Fistymuffs are Patty Vea on Bass and lead vocals, Suky Goodfellow on Guitar and Vocals and Nikki Foxx on drums.

You can purchase About Time by heading over to Bandcamp.  Just click here. 

Find out more by following Fistymuffs on Twitter.