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Kenneth McMurtrie

Kenneth McMurtrie

The Yawpers - American Man

American Man brings to mind Grand Funk Railroad's '(We're An) American Band' and that level of patriotism and love of country is a unifying theme throughout album number two by Boulder, Colorado's The Yawpers. The fact they take their name from a Walt Whitman poem though amply points up the fact that theirs isn't merely some goodtime, flag waving, Bill & Ted style celebration of their home and what it means to come from there. Considerations a la Springsteen are more what the trio are about.

This may only be their second album (after just three years together) but they've a clear idea of what they like about where they come from and what they dislike about both home and the impact that place has on the wider world. Delivered at a pace you'd associate more with metal acts, their dual acoustic guitars battle and bludgeon away whilst the drums are hammered on by Noah Shomberg and Nate Cook's raw vocals clamber atop and through the music.

Opening track 'Doing It Right' is a searing beginning to the record, with some fantastic slide guitar work from Jesse Parmet. Starting off slow and then springing the driving riffs and pounding drums on the listener is the band's favoured style, allowing each song to build (some for longer than others) up to a pitch of righteous indignation, joyful abandon or what have you before running off at speed and dragging you along for the ride.

Eighteenth century Edinburgh councillor and burglar Deacon Brodie (albeit with a surname spelling change) bizarrely appears to get a song to himself mid-way through the album. Possibly as a plea to understand the duality of the nature of the individual concerned, his nights being that much different from his days.

All in this is an assured release from a fresh act who, unfortunately, don't look to be touring the UK or Europe anytime soon but they should be checked out once that's remedied in 2016.

American Man is available from amazon & iTunes.   

The Spook School Announce Album Launch Gigs And First Headline Tour

 

To celebrate their second album, Try To Be Hopeful, having recently come out The Spook School have a couple of shows in Edinburgh and one in London next week. The nights of October 26 & 27 will see them play The Banshee Labyrinth in Edinburgh's Old Town before they head off to the DIY Space For London on October 29 (support from Joey Fourr and Wolf Girl). Tickets for all three of these shows can be obtained here.

Following on from these dates the band will head out on an 11 date headline tour of the UK & Ireland, including the ninth iteration of Dundee's Book Yer Ane Fest, in aid of the Safe Tay charity, tickets for which can be found here. Musos' Guide plans to be there for that one - £25 for over 30 bands + a charity profiting seems like something pretty worthwhile.

The full tour dates are as follows:-

6 Nov - w/ Martha/Radiator Hospital, Glasgow, 13th Note
14 Nov - Belfast, Black Box, Northern Ireland
15 Nov - Spirit Store, Dundalk, Ireland
20 Nov - Brighton, The Joker
22 Nov - London, George Tavern
26 Nov - Leeds, Wharf Chambers 
27 Nov - Edinburgh, Citrus Club (with The Lovely Eggs)
28 Nov - Dundee, Buskers - Book Yer Ane Fest IX
4 Dec - Coventry, The Tin at The Coal Vaults
5 Dec - Nottingham, Chameleon
6 Dec - Glasgow, Nice and Sleazy
 
Try To Be Hopeful is released on Fortuna POP! and is available from amazon & iTunes. 
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