Video Games Buried in the Desert

The Scottish SKRAMZ Scene

2006-12-11T14:42:00.000-08:00

Dundee is pretty shit. It's smelly, dank, holds a steaming amount of council estate families, and has about one decent record shop. I once waited 2 hours for a fucking Megabus to Aberdeen from Dundee. The train station didn't let me use the toilets because, "Uve gotta ba travlin oon the tran ta use tham, ken?". So, you wouldn't grudge me throwing up the idea that Dundee hasn't got much going for it, right? Well...you'd be right. One thing, however, that keeps me returning to that foul city is the music. Oddly enough, the best screamo in Scotland seems to be orientated around Dundee in some way. While all the pregnant bucky drinking 14 year old unleash Friday's curry onto the road, your conservative group of friendly 'the town really isn't my forte', kids hitch up in a parents garage and play some rock and roll. And when i say rock and roll i really mean brutal as fuck hardcore. My first real experience of this phenomenon was at the start of 2006 when i witnessed one of the four UK A Day In Black And White shows. What i want to know is, how in holy hell did they end up playing Dundee. Glasgow? Edinburgh? Aberdeen? No. Dun fucking Dee. I was, no exaggeration here, the only human being in venue/hole that knew who A Day In Black And White were. I don’t even think the promoter knew. They blew the place apart. The kids however, came for something different. LOCAL SCOTTISH SKRAMZ. Allergo, The Fall Of Boss Koala and Kaddish. Fuck listening to Belle and Sebastian. Listen to Kaddish. The ferocity and pure power of this band astounds me. They've been together as a band for over 5 years and are barely known out of the central belt. It's a disgrace. I tried to write about how i feel when i listen to their track 'More Awkward than Silence'. It was terrible (much worse than this piece of writing). It is, without a doubt, one of the best hardcore tracks i have ever heard.

Listen here;

http://www.sendspace.com/file/mtx0an

It's pointless giving you any websites for Kaddish as they only have one to my knowledge. It was last upldated in 2004 or something.

The other bands mentioned;

Allergo;

http://www.myspace.com/allergo

The Fall Of Boss Koala;

http://www.myspace.com/thefallofbosskoala

Also, my favourite Glasgow band Mesa Verde;

http://www.myspace.com/mesaverde

Support your local scene.

But only the good ones.

What Price, Wonderland?

2006-12-06T14:22:00.000-08:00

Ok. This is my first attempt at this, so it's going to be a bit shit. Sorry in advance.

Imagine if Billy Werner, after finishing with the outstanding Saetia, gave one big "fuck you" to the to be Hot Cross members, set sail for England, enrolled in an art college, befriended two skinny lads with overactive imaginations and a worrying love for DIY, and started a band. This is what that band would sound like. It’s messy, sprawling and raw. Their most oustanding offering so far is the ‘Feel, Express, Share, Aid E.P'. Four incredible tracks expressing feelings of regret, being pissed off, hatred for corprate industries and girls. The track, Bearfighter closes with the soon to be anthemic "Remember what it is! To feel, express, share and aid!", with each member testing just how far they can push their broken voices. It really is inspiring stuff.

"Feel, Express, Share and Aid is simple. Hardcore punk/the DIY community is a reaction, don't become complacent with the same sounds, the same attitudes and the same reasons to give up. Don't feel you have nothing to give until you have given all. Don't be afraid to scream. Don't be afraid to cry and don't be afraid to be a total dork."

The homepage (not much goes on here);

http://www.whatpricewonderland.tk/

The Myspace;

http://www.myspace.com/whatpricewonderland

Available from;

http://www.stickysticky.co.uk/

http://www.apemustnotkillaperecords.com/

http://www.myspace.com/12046273

http://www.superfirecords.co.uk/

http://www.team-flake.34sp.com/muppetvision/index.html

Thank you.

The Best Records Of 2006?

2006-12-06T05:55:00.000-08:00

A Lily - Wake:Sleep
A Whisper In The Noise - As The Bluebird Sings
Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto - Revep
Ampere/Sinaloa - Split
aMute - The Sea Horse Limbo
Avast! - Faultlines
Because Of Ghosts - The Tomorrow We Were Promised Yesterday
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - The Letting Go
Boris - Pink
By The End Of Tonight (Josh Smith) - The Imaginary EP
Clark - Body Riddle
Converge - No Heroes
Dosh - The Lost Take
Eluvium - When I Live By The Garden And The Sea
Envy - Insomniac Doze
Fickle Public - Bucko
Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds
F.S. Blumm - Summer Kling
Feu Thérèse - Feu Thérèse
Genghis Tron - Dead Mountain Mouth
Graf Orlock - Destination Time Yesterday
Gregor Samsa - 55:12
Helios - Eingya
Isis - In the Absence of Truth
Jason Molina - Let Me Go Let Me Go Let Me Go
Jeniferever - Choose A Bright Morning
Joanna Newsom - Ys
July Skies - Where The Days Go
Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
La Quiete - Tenpeun 01-05
Liars - Drum's Not Dead
Life At These Speeds - To Your Health
Marsen Jules - Les Fleurs
Max Richter - Songs From before
Mono & World's End Girlfriend - Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain
Neil On Impression - The Perfect Tango
Norma Jean - Redeemer
Orko - Creating Short Fiction
Pajo - 1968
Rolo Tomassi - Self Titled
Saviours - Crucifire
Six Organs Of Admittance - The Sun Awakens
Sparrows Swarm and Sing - O'Shenandoah, Mighty Death Will Find Me
Squarepusher - Hello Everything
The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine
Venetian Snares - Cavalcade Of Glee And Dadaist Happy Hardcore
Volcano! - Beautiful Seizure
Whores! Whores! Whores! - Unicorn
Wolf Eyes - Human Animal
Wooden Wand and the Sky High Band - Second Attention Xiu Xiu - The Air Force

They've taken the bridge.

2006-12-06T05:51:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be talking about music. A lot of it. Most of it will be incredible. Thank you.