JUNO (
www.myspace.com/junovision] are one of the liveliest live bands to catch our attention in recent months, with their buzzing electro-pop combining vocals, samples and an arsenal of percussive instruments. Boasting members from Fife, Glasgow and even Tokyo, this four-piece (swelling to a mammoth eight when part-time members join in), have an uncanny ability to engage with their audience, converting their gigs into a musical party. Their song These Boys Are Athletes is the perfect track of th
Another act apparently inspired by track and field are self-styled science fiction punks We Are The Physics (
www.myspace.com/wearethephysics]. Their current single You Can Do Athletics was released last week and will be followed by the excellent album We Are The Physics Are Okay At Music on 5 May.
While CD sales might be in decline, Edinburgh band The Fusiliers (
www.wearethe fusiliers.co.uk] report that their debut EP, We Are The Fusiliers, has been selling rather well on the new drop card format. About the size of a credit card, it carries information, including track listings, art work and all the other stuff normally found on record or CD sleeves. It also has a code, which allows the buyer to download the songs.
We reckon that manager, Shoeshine label owner and Teenage Fanclub drummer, Francis Macdonald, has an uncanny knack for signing great talent. Former Scottish Young Musician of the Year, Emily Smith, is no exception. Her folk album Too Long Away, saw her seek out traditional songs from her native Dumfries and is out on Shoeshine on 28 April. The multi-talented McDonald has also made a small film about the artist to accompany the release at
www.youtube.com/watch?v>o3qvDJe5EPcGood news at XFM Scotland, which has not only been saved from the axe after being bought by Global Radio, but has also seen its new music veteran, Jim Gellatly, pick up the John Peel Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music Radio.
Despite the weather, the festival season is already upon us. Thankfully, the forthcoming Tigerfest (
www.tigerfest.co.uk] hosts its gigs indoors during May in Dunfermline, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Bands booked to appear include The Twilight Sad, Frightened Rabbit, Norman Blake, Idlewild, Foxface, The Scottish Enlightenment, Paul Haig, Fangs and Laki Mera. And electronica fans are also catered for at Edinburgh's Voodoo Rooms on 4 May with Ulrich Schnauss, Keser and Funkspiel.
Big In Falkirk (
www.biginfalkirk.com], on 3-4 May, is set to attract 100,000 people to a free festival whose headliners include The Complete Stone Roses, crusty legends The Levellers and 10cc. We'll be checking out Kobai, a six-piece electro rock band, as well as The Hazy Janes and newcomers Hungry Ghosts.
This year's T Break heats to find 12 unsigned bands for Balado run from 4-7 May at Edinburgh's Liquid Room and 11-14 May at Glasgow's King Tut's (
www.tbreak.co.uk). Meanwhile, the world's largest live music company, Live Nation, has bought a 67 per cent stake in T In The Park promoters, DF Concerts. Indie promoters will be viewing this in the same way a small shopkeeper might regard a giant Tesco opening at the end of the street.
• Olaf Furniss and Derick McInnon host the club night Born to be Wide. The next one is at Edinburgh's Voodoo Rooms, Thursday 1 May, with guest DJs including Rod Stanley, editor of Dazed & Confused.
