Energetic Glasgow quartet, We Are The Physics, have returned to form with a frenetically excellent new album Your Friend The Atom, released last week on This Is Fake DIY Records.
They recently appeared on Croatian TV (perhaps secured as a result of their song named after the tennis legend Goran Ivanisevic) and performed a series of live shows across the UK. The band will also star in Stuart “Belle & Sebastian” Murdoch’s partially fan-funded musical feature film, God Help The Girl, which is released in 2013. Although it’s Murdoch’s directorial debut, it was produced by a real heavyweight – Barry Mendel (The Sixth Sense, The Royal Tenenbaums, Unbreakable). WATP’s next live outing is in December, in the meantime check out the single Napoleon Loves Josephine here.
Thurso’s Newmarket Bar has been building a solid reputation as a Northern outpost for lovers of emerging talent, and on 10 November will host the Bull River Mini Festival. Local bands The Gen and Cactus & Cardigan will not only share a bill with acts from other parts of Scotland, but also with Norwegian sensations Honningbarna, who were a huge hit at Go North and our Wide Days event earlier this year, see http://bit.ly/bullriver.
Edinburgh trio Young Fathers have signed to respected Los Angeles-based alternative hip-hop/electronic label Anticon. They release their Tape One EP in December followed by the Tape Two EP in February, which will be accompanied by a series of videos, see http://bit.ly/youngfather.
Another trio from the capital, Snide Rhythms, release their eponymous debut album on 12 November via the Bonjour Branch label founded by members of Django Django and The Phantom Band.
Dundee’s The Mirror Trap have been running a promotional campaign with a difference in the build up to the release of their new EP, The Visible Hand on 5 November. The band have placed numerous concrete hands, with the index finger painted black, around the cities where they are playing this week. For music and photos, see http://www.facebook.com/themirrortrap
Also planning a launch with a difference are Dunfirmline’s Miniature Dinosaurs who will be unveiling their EP Turn It On at Stereo in Glasgow tonight. Audience members will be treated to a glass of cloudy lemonade, cakes and dinosaur-shaped gingerbread.
Following Edinburgh University’s decision to terminate the Bongo Club’s lease at their current location on Holyrood Road, the City of Edinburgh council has thrown the Out of the Blue organisation (which runs the Bongo Club) a lifeline. From January the space below the Central Library, known as the Underbelly during the Fringe, will be the club’s temporary home with the lease set to run until 2014.
Still on the topic of venues relocating, Glasgow promoters PCL recently opened Broadcast on Sauchiehall Street, following the closure of the Captain’s Rest. Sandwiched between Nice N Sleazy’s and Box it has already secured some excellent acts, including Edinburgh’s Broken Records tonight. More info.
Finally, hip hop collective Stanley Odd, have written a track inspired by Edinburgh for use on a new animated advert to promote the city in the lead up to Christmas and Hogmanay. Watch the first video.
• Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon host Scottish music industry night, Born To Be Wide. The next event takes place 1 November at Electric Circus, Edinburgh, with a seminar exploring record sleeve design. Participants include the creative head of the Beggars Group, Tommy Perman from the band FOUND photographer Jannica Honey and Love Music owner Sandy McLean.