SNACK magazine: Issue 46 – December 2022

CREDITS

Editor: Kenny Lavelle

Sub Editor: Leona Skene

Editorial Assistant: Lara Delmage

Food and Drink Editors: Emma Mykytyn and Mark Murphy

LGBT+ Editor: Jonny Stone

What's On Editor: Natalie Jayne Clark

Film Editor: Martin Sandison

Design and Illustration: Joanna Hughes

Cover photo credit: Elly Lucas

Spine quote credit: Hamish Hutcheson, VLURE

To advertise in SNACK hello@snackpublishing.com 0141 632 4641

SNACK is a supporter of the global Keychange movement.

Disclaimer: Snack Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this magazine in part or in whole is forbidden without the explicit written consent of the publishers. Every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content of this magazine but we cannot guarantee it is complete and up to date. Snack Publishing Ltd. is not responsible for your use of the information contained herein.

Hello and welcome to SNACK issue 46,

How was 2022 for you? Are you stepping out relatively unscathed? Are you feeling positive about the next 12 months? Do you have a 5-year plan? Are you planning on emerging from under the duvet? Do you be lieve in the almighty power of the conscious universe and all its children? Do you believe that art is not, and should not be forced into, competition? Do you want to buy a T-shirt?

Personally, I’d a decent year and, happily, so did the mag. I went to more live events than I have done for years and saw some pretty amazing artists at work. I’m impatiently awaiting the full-on blast of Christmas – the lights, music, food, the lot – and that glorious wee half-space between Christmas and New Year where nothing is happening and no one is expected to do much of anything. Our wee team has gently grown over the last 12 months and I’d say SNACK 3.0 (or is it 4.0?) is the best version of us yet. Thanks to all the team who have worked incredibly hard to bring SNACK to life every month – it isn’t always easy and all of your work and creativity is important. Also thanks to you for reading and for all of your support. As ever, a magazine is nothing without its readers.

Enjoy yourself over the festive season, ignore the pressure to do anything, including having fun, and we’ll catch you up in the New Year.

Kenny Lavelle Editor

WITCH // HAG FILM FESTIVAL

Stereo, Glasgow

21st December

Witches and hags are ancient archetypes. Myths and tales of witches have been told as long as women have transgressed gender roles. Anytime a woman disobeys she risks being called a witch, even now. However, the witch is undergoing a feminist renaissance, crucial in spearheading cinematic ideas of feminine empowerment and agency. Riot Films and Rebel Queer Film+Club present Witch // Hag: Winter Solstice Film Festival, part of BFI’s In Dreams Are Monsters horror season.

Their all-nighter screenings are interactive and relaxed, creating a comfortable atmosphere to watch some strange films together. Dress comfy and witchy, and bring a blanket. riotfilms.org/rebel-queer-film-club Jonny Stone

CUMBERNAULD THEATRE TRUST WINTER SEASON

Lanternhouse, Cumbernauld 29th November till 24th December

Two shows for you to enjoy: Treasure Island and Life of the Party. The former is an adaptation from award-winning writer Ross Mackay, centred around a wee lad from Cumbernauld called Robbie Stevenson who uses his books as escapism. His ‘book comes to life, and he is suddenly thrust aboard on the adventure of a lifetime’ – a story about leaving your comforts and going on discovery. Sea shanties have been promised. Life of the Party (from 3rd December) seems to feature the actual birth of lights and sounds, eventually culminating in a massive party: ‘in this production, party objects come to life to discover their unique personalities’ and come together to create the perfect party, which I think is as good a goal as any in this life, and seems joyfully existential. lanternhousearts.org

PHIL CUNNINGHAM’S

CHRISTMAS SONGBOOK

The event showcases one hundred years of transgressive witch films, including its headliner, She Will by Charlotte Colbert, Häxan, The Craft, and The Deathless Woman

Various Locations, Scotland 13th till 20th December

This show’s been running long enough to buy energy drinks and aerosol spray paints all by itself — 16 years!

Phil brings along a whole host of top Scottish folk musicians including Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson, John McCusker, Kris Drever, Ian Carr, and Kevin McGuire, as well as a special guest brass band. Modern and traditional combine to make fabulous folk fun.

philcunningham.com/live-shows

THE ROAD TO THE ISLES

The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

1st till 23rd December

There’s nothing like the braw bracing sea breeze to clear the cobwebs away — however, sometimes the Scottish coastline is all the better to enjoy in a cosy gallery while your hair stays in one place and aff yer face. See Scottish painter Frances Macdonald’s works that ‘capture the wild tempests of the ocean with bold and textured strokes of her pallet knife’ with all the comforts of being inside.

scottish-gallery.co.uk

MACROBERT ARTS CENTRE

Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling

28th

November till 8th January

Would it be cheesy to say that there’s something on for everyone? Well, slap a cheeseboard under this entry and read on. There’s a craft fair full of gifts made by Scotland artists and makers, on every day from 10am throughout the whole of December and a bit beyond. If you fancy doing your own crafting then they are putting on the ‘12 Days of Creativity’ – each session focuses on a different craft, including but not limited to: wreath making, origami decorations, sea glass, upcycling, and more. Perfect to learn a new skill and to make affordable and personalised gifts. There’s a few films to enjoy, including Rodeo, which is part of their French film festival and follows fiery Julia and her dive into the ‘volatile’ world of illicit motorcycle gatherings. Join Macrobert for a couple of classics

– The Muppet Christmas Carol and Gremlins, the latter of which is a pyjama party! Live shows include Maw Goose, this year’s panto, which sounds delightfully surreal and includes story beats regarding everything from Higher exams in Fairy Technology, Botox, and our protagonist potentially being stuffed and roasted for Christmas dinner.

macrobertartscentre.org

ENSEMBLE

BLOC+, Glasgow 1st till 31st December

Every year, BLOC+ connects with their melodic community to promote a significant current issue, and this year their Ensemble will be supporting the Women.Life.Freedom initiative, coordinated by the Iranian Scottish Association. As always for BLOC+, events are totally free and performing artists are paid too. There’s every kind of rebel noise across this programme of events: riot grrrl punk duo Bratakus, the indie pop trio Bin Juice, Scottish DIY punk collective Mutual Scum, plus emo and alt-pop and rock monsters and electro-goth… Check out their website for dates and be a part of the magnetic movement to use music to bring people together, and maximise support of Scottish communities for the women of Iran. bloc.ru

JUPITER ARTLAND

Edinburgh and Perth 3rd December till 28th January

How beautiful and pure does this wreath-making class sound? First, you’ll forage and ferret through the forested floor to find the your own elements for your wreath, then head to their Ballroom (with a capital ‘b’, very grand!) for a steaming mug of mulled wine or hot choccie, then craft craft craft to your heart’s content. That’s just one event at Jupiter Artland this season. They’ve also got: Winter Wonderland lunch and dinner replete with a ‘forest martini bar’; and their annual elf workshop is back, where each child creates a card using environmentally friendly materials. Jupiter Artland has reached Perth too, and you can experience Rachel Maclean’s Mimi on Perth High Street till 28th January. It’s immersive, it’s satirical, it’s very very pink.

jupiterartland.org

FREE FESTIVE FILMS

Briggait, Glasgow 16th till 18th December

They’ve got all the Christmas film classics — The Grinch, Home Alone, Elf, Edward Scissorhands… I am not sure about the last one, although it is definitely a cult classic, but I am firmly in the camp that Die Hard does belong in the Christmas line-up. At the screenings, there will also be a fully licensed pop-up bar with festive cocktails, many things mulled, and hot choccies, and you’re encouraged to bring your own blankets to ramp up the cosiness. All these movies are free – and you can donate to support them. qpa.inhouse.scot

PATTERN:BOOKS

Upright Gallery, Edinburgh 26th November till 23rd December

Life was simpler when all you wanted to make your birthday dreams come true was a Spirograph. Mind they wondrous things? Patterns make maths not only fun but beautiful, and here is an exhibition of over 80 handmade books from 35 artists crammed with passionate and poignant patterns, full to the brim with utterly satisfying and scintillating symmetry, and top-to-toe full with sharp and shamanic shapes.

uprightgallery.com

Maria Vigers - Boogie Woogie Orange

TFEH MIDWINTER WEIRDO DRINKING FEST

Waverley Bar, Edinburgh 8th December

For all self-proclaimed weirdos and drinkers: a night featuring a one-off performance from ‘vagabond artist’ Simon Whetham and the Brittle Yammer Choir.

bit.ly/weirdo-drinking-fest

MINING SEAMS AND DRAWING WELLS

A Living Archive for Easterhouse

Platform, Glasgow 22nd November till 28th January

This archive spans the breadth of ethnography of the Easterhouse area, from strikers, to poets, to theatre-makers and more. Not only that, but they’ve created a ‘living room archive’ – a cosy place to go for a cuppa to swap stories and add your own memories. Writer Joey Simons and artist Keira McLean are working with locals and adding extra stitches and threads into this tapestry of past and living history, through creative writing, walking inquiries (sounds very official, but dinnae be put aff by what you can learn of the rhythms of a place from a wee walk) and more: learn, contribute, connect. platform-online.co.uk/whats-on

SUSAN RIDDELL AND JOHN GAVIN STAND-UP

Number 57, Dundee 2nd December

Susan Riddell has been all over my TikTok FYP lately, and I have excellent taste, so this is a credible recommendation. She’s just the right mix of acid, salt, and honey to take you on a journey to take a long hard look at yersel and the wurld and all the idiosyncrasies within. Likewise, John Gavin’s tagline seems to be ‘he’ll get ye telt’ — so a night of frank funnies for all! dundeecity.gov.uk/events/event/30616

300 YEARS OF MEADOWS

Whitespace, Edinburgh 20th till 23rd December

Stand on any path that criss-crosses through this space, or on any corner of the Meadows, and you’ll feel an intense connection towards the mighty cross-section of humanity you see before you. Used for anything and for everyone, it is a place that symbolises community. Exactly 300 years ago, the loch that was there before was drained and it was turned into what it is now. This free photographic exhibition from Vroni Holzmann celebrates this iconic place of Scotland. vronionline.net

HOGMANAY

Various Locations, Edinburgh

30th December till 1st January

It’s been three long years since Edinburgh took to the streets in the organised chaos that is Hogmanay, and now it’s back, for old acquaintance never be forgot, for auld lang syne. The party starts on Friday with Sophie Ellis Bextor and Altered Images playing Princess Gardens. Saturday will be kicked off with The Pet Shop Boys, followed by the much missed street party. Grab a cup (or several, who’s counting) of kindness in the castlelight at the iconic, and relish in breathing the same air as strangers in relative safety once more. The festivities do not yield on New Year’s Day, so have paracetamol and lucozade at the ready. The ‘Final Fling’ sees us into the new year with Tide Lines, Elephant Sessions and Hamish Hawk (check out his interview in this issue).

edinburghshogmanay.com

BURNS & BEYOND

Various Locations

26th till 29th January

Yous might not be wanting to think at all beyond NYE right now, but you’ll have definitely recovered enough post-haggis (vegan or otherwise) on Rabbie Burns night to check out Burns & Beyond Festival Club.

We’re particularly excited for Kinnaris Quintet & Friends; an evening of traditional music by Scotland’s leading female musicians, including Julie Fowlis and Karine Polwart. burnsandbeyond.com

THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ

Tron Theatre, Glasgow 23rd November till 8th January

It wouldn’t be a December What’s On without a panto, and the TRON has delivered the goods. Back after three years of cancellations, this particularly Glaswegian rendition of Oz was written by alleged ‘king of panto’ Johnny McKnight, who will also don ruby slippers and take the stage in this camp extravaganza. Alongside the fearty lion, eejit scarecrow and hertless tin wummin, you’ll be shouting ‘Dinnae look behind you!’ as though panto season never left. tron.co.uk

Photo credit: Keith Valentine

FRUITMARKET

Claire Barclay

Untitled (A Life Livelier)

David Batchelor

Atomic Orange Screenprint in an edition of 100, £125 framed / £175 unframed

Jyll Bradley

Opening the Air – 2021 Wood and live-edged Perspex in an edition of 50, £200

Screenprint in an edition of 40, £250 unframed / £325 framed fruitmarketbookshop. myshopify.com

Traditional Garganelli Board, £35

SU-A LEE

Renowned cellist Su-a Lee releases her debut album, Dialogues, in December. Aptly named, it consists of collaborative duets with leading performers in both the classical and the traditional music scenes – each track showcasing the nuance and versatility of Su-a Lee’s masterful cello playing and arranging. SNACK caught up with Su-a to talk about her ethereal new album.

What made you want to write the album as you did?

It really came around as a sort of lockdown project after all our work was cancelled in March 2020.

It was during walks in the woods, with Hamish [Napier, folk musician and Su-a’s husband], that he said ‘You know what you should do? You should make a solo album.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness, no, I can't. It's not really a thing that I'd like to do.’

We eked it out through these walks, where he asked, ‘Well, what would you like to do?’ I've played on loads of fabulous people's albums, but generally as a sort of backing strings player. So I liked the idea of having more of an equal voice. That's how it started.

How did you decide what to include on the album?

It was a very organic process driven by the person I was collaborating with in the duet. It was definitely a sort of conversation. Some of the more compositional collaborators said, ‘Well, I'd like to write something for you’, and others chose things that were closer to their heart or things they always wanted to do, or songs we've done before together, but in a different context.

The whole thing was a proper collaboration, even with people who had written music. For example, James Ross would come up with an idea and then everything other than the actual tune itself was what we put together.

Donald Shaw came with a bunch of sketches. And I just loved them all – I really couldn't pick one. I said to Donald, ‘Can you imagine playing them all back to back?’ and luckily he went for it!

How did that development process work over lockdown?

The development was tricky because we weren't allowed to be in the same space together, so a lot of it was through Zoom. We'd have to send each other sound files or recordings of what we were doing on the phone or on a computer. I then had to learn how to transcribe it, write it – I'd never done anything digitally before, music-wise! And of course, that just made it more painstaking as a process.

It also gave me the chance to really delve into the music. For example, Patsy Reid is a phenomenal Strathspey player. So to be able to have a recording of Patsy that I can play along with in a very slow, lovely, learning process – I felt very lucky for having that. I felt very lucky because nothing about it was rushed.

By the time we all met in the studio it was definitely more special. For me, to have gone through that is like writing letters, and you have a whole correspondence before you actually meet. It makes the actual meeting even more special. A lot of times that was very moving, but also you kind of get a bit more nervous. All the emotions are heightened. I came away buzzing from those meetings. It was incredible.

How did you organise your album into its final shape?

The planning of how the pieces would fit together, that was a real jigsaw. The order was really important to me. When I decided to have Donald's as the first track, everything made sense, because it was like a presentation of more classical stuff. He'd written it specially to have a baroque feel about it, and it had a variety of different styles within that. Then it flowed quite easily from there.

I don't know what you call it, a concept album, or whatever, but for me, it's a snapshot of my life during this time, or of my life up until now. Just really celebrating that feeling of all these lovely people I've been able to work with, taking that one step further, one step deeper into our relationships. I am left with a lovely feeling of the time we shared to make this thing together. It's been very special to me.

Dialogues will be released on CD on 2nd December and digitally on 20th January, with the launch event on 14th December

Music by Sam MacAdam

Photo credit: Elly Lucas

SARAH SMITH

Elsewhere in this month’s SNACK you’ll find the Ten Best Scottish Books of 2022. Among them is Sarah Smith’s debut novel, Hear No Evil, which is not just a good book, but an important one. SNACK caught up with Sarah to learn more.

For those who haven’t read Hear No Evil yet, can you set out what it's about?

It’s a historical crime novel set in Scotland in 1817, inspired by the true story of the first Deaf person tried in a Scottish court, Jean Campbell, who was witnessed throwing a child from the Old Bridge in Glasgow. After her arrest, she was taken to the Old Tolbooth in Edinburgh. The authorities call in Robert Kinniburgh, a teacher from the Deaf and Dumb Institution, and ask him to interpret for them and determine if Jean is fit for trial. As she confides in him, Robert becomes an investigator and begins to uncover the truth.

Why did you want to tell this story?

The story was borne out of frustration, really. I began looking at the court records and there was very little about Jean herself. She was an important figure in Deaf history because she was tried on the same basis as a hearing person. In the absence of facts, I decided to fictionalise the reasons for Jean’s crime; what had led her and her child to be on that bridge in the first place? I hoped my fictional Jean could give the real Jean a voice that was denied her at the time.

Where did the inspiration come from?

I’ve spent most of my working life on projects that try to improve access to education, employment, and services for disabled people. I got to know a lot of Deaf people and ended up working for an organisation called Deaf Connections in Glasgow. There, I met Robert Smith, a retired history teacher who had written a history called The City Silent: A History of Deaf Connections, and it was Robert who first told me about the case and piqued my interest.

It has been rightly lauded and critically acclaimed. Has the reaction been unexpected? Did you have any expectations of how it would be received?

I honestly had no expectations at all. I was just happy that the story might reach a wider audience. The bottom line for me was that readers would feel I’d shown the Deaf community truthfully and authentically, and would be entertained along the way.

How has your year been since publication?

As restrictions eased when the book came out in February this year, I was able to have a launch in Waterstones, as well as taking part in a lot of other events. Amazing, unexpected opportunities have come my way. Having extracts from Hear No Evil adapted into performance for the Edinburgh Book Festival; being shortlisted for Bloody Scotland’s Debut Prize, and for the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown. Things have happened that are dreams come true.

What advice would you give those who are interested in becoming a writer?

Seek out a small group of other writers who’ll challenge and support you. If the first group isn’t for you, try another.

I took a few rejections to heart when I was younger and ended up with very little confidence to ask for help or submit my writing anywhere. When I hit 50, I applied for an MLitt at the University of Glasgow. It changed my life because I found likeminded people. Writing is supposed to be solitary, but even one good writing friend can make a huge difference to you.

Do you have any books from 2022 you would recommend to SNACK readers?

I loved Case Study from Graeme Macrae Burnet, who’s probably sick of me fangirling him but he’s stuck with it. Rachelle Atalla’s The Pharmacist is such a well-written, empathetic book it makes me forget what a dystopian/sci-fi refuser I can be. The Second Cut by the legendary Louise Welsh is an incredible, long-awaited, follow-up to her debut crime novel – with the added attraction of Alan Cumming on Audible, who made me laugh out loud with a joke about a cardigan.

What's next for you? And is there added pressure to write a follow-up?

I’m writing 'Book Two'. It’s another historical novel with a bit of crime sprinkled in. Set in a back-court cinema in Glasgow, 1920, it follows Agnes Ritchie, a war widow with a young son, as she navigates a world utterly changed by WWI. It’s got silent movies, spiritualism, and a lecherous projectionist.

As for Hear No Evil, I didn’t originally envisage it as a series, but it’s very tempting to return to those characters and explore other aspects of Deaf history. There are a lot of Deaf stories out there and, since I’ve given Robert Kinniburgh the role of detective, maybe he’s the right man to investigate them!

Sarah Smith’s Hear No Evil is published by Two Roads

As a songwriter, he’s so engrossed in his craft that it’s hard to imagine another life for Edinburgh's Hamish Hawk. The artist possesses an unrelenting eye for thoroughly idiosyncratic, yet strangely relatable lyrics, embossed on rousingly dramatic anthems on his breakthrough record Heavy Elevator. Now, as he gears up to play the Final Fling on New Year’s Day and release a new record in 2023, SNACK sat down with the erudite singer to discuss making connections, the importance of the arts, and being in it for the long haul.

2022 has been another big year for you. Have you had a chance to take stock of it all yet?

It really has just snowballed. When I was ostensibly performing solo over the past ten years, I was used to waking up in the morning and pushing the boulder up the hill.

And over the past year, it has been my first experience of waking up in the morning and the boulder is already moving somewhat, and sometimes it's rolling down the hill and I'm trying to keep up with it.

I am so grateful to be able to say this, but the opportunities are coming in thick and fast, and sometimes things whizz by, so you have to pause and acknowledge that they did actually happen and that it was a lot of fun. It's easy to look back on things and think 'that was great' but it's a different thing to be present and recognise how great it is here and now.

How important were your live dates for road testing new material and figuring out what would end up on your new album, Angel Numbers?

Absolutely invaluable. The songs are still being honed at that stage. It doesn't take me a long time to write songs, but I am such a perfectionist that there's only ever going to be an album-length amount to choose from.

So playing them live was less about choosing and more about cementing how the song was going to sound. It puts the song in a pressure cooker, and you also get the response from the audience which tells you things you might not necessarily know yourself.

For someone who invests so much time and effort in their lyrics, does it then make it harder to release them to the world?

I don't feel too self-conscious about the content of the lyrics, or how the lyrics reflect on me, as I am so consumed with the actual process of writing. It's not necessarily an enjoyable thing; it's an allconsuming experience where everything else in my life falls away. But once the song is written and it goes out, that's when I do worry about being judged. But I worry about being judged on the quality of the lyrics. Not on what the lyrics or the character say about me.

I have given some thought to how idiosyncratic and how particular I want to be if I want people to relate to the songs. But I don’t think it's as simple as putting generalities and banalities in songs and hoping that everyone knows what that means. But if you are quite specific and true to yourself then people really love that, and I know that to be true of songwriters I love and respect.

In increasingly bleak times, how robust a defence against the world do you feel the arts still are?

I think they are absolutely imperative. I think anyone in my position or in a similar field would say the same. It's almost not up for debate. One thing about art in society is that you might be able to monetise it, and you might be able to critique it, and there's all kinds of legislation and infrastructure there making things more difficult, but there is also something completely untouchable about it.

Art exists in a world of its own and if the powers that be try to stymie its progress or silence its voice, they can’t. So long as people are songwriting, or painting or writing poetry or whatever it might be, I feel that art is impervious to the taxes that are levelled against it, and I think in the most difficult of times it tends to thrive. It's very much a part of being a human being.

You are set to play the New Year’s Day Final Fling. How will you be spending your Hogmanay?

I think it's going to have to be a sensible one. As much as I have had excellent Hogmanay celebrations throughout the years, I also find it quite stressful. You have the enforced sense that you must have a good time. So the idea that I am performing the next day is fine by me. I'll have a wee dram and then bed and then… Soundcheck.

Do you find markers of time – such as the start of a new year – to be motivational?

For as long as I have been writing music and performing music I have known on some level that I am in it for the long game. So I try not to put too many expectations on short periods of time. I've certainly learned, since the release of Heavy Elevator, that keeping my expectations low, staying grounded, and just taking the whole thing as a bonus is the best way forward for me. And these days it feels like it's going so well that I am waking up each morning with another bit of good news ,which is great. And kicking off 2023 on New Year’s Day with a show with Elephant Sessions and Tide Lines; that's a cracking start to the year as far as I'm concerned.

Hamish Hawk will play Edinburgh's Final Fling on 1st January, and Angel Numbers is out 3rd February via Post Electric

edinburghshogmanay.com

Meeting VLURE in their studio under a motorway flyover on a rainy Glasgow night felt very fitting; the five piece, consisting of singer Hamish Hutcheson, brothers Conor and Niall Goldie on guitar and bass, and Alex Pearson and Carlo Kriekaard on keys and drums, have gained a considerable following for their emotionally intense live shows; performing a darkly glamorous, dance-infused post-punk that feels made for the slick, black city streets.

Your music feels connected to Glasgow in a very intentional way. How important is that to you?

Hamish Hutcheson: It’s ingrained in all of us. And I think for us, it's very important to be proud of that heritage and be proud of this place. Because of everything that comes with it, there's an honesty within Glasgow, which is a huge part of our music; we want to have honesty throughout, we want to have passion for our music. It's a passionate city. It's a no-bullshit zone. You have to wholeheartedly believe in what you're doing and who you are for people to take note and understand it.

And if you're not, you'll get called out. And I think for us, that really has to be ingrained in our music, it has to be part of our identity. And we want to take that identity to the wider world and show that we are proud to be Glaswegian, and to show the world how great Glasgow is.

Conor Goldie: A lot of Scottish artists kind of downplay it. I think we wanted to actively be very Scottish and tell a very Glaswegian story.

Hamish: We filmed the ‘Euphoria’ video on the roof of the studio here. The ‘Desire’ footage is filmed around here in Anderston because this is where we came to be the band and built what we are. So we've always wanted to keep that a common theme throughout what we're doing, and make sure that we're very much remembering that this is the core of it, that Glasgow is at the core of it. At the start you have nothing else to give but yourself.

Something that really strikes me about your music is that it’s never just one thing. The songs that, upfront, are quite kind of dance focused – like ‘Euphoria’ – if you look at the lyrical content, they tend to be quite introspective.

Conor: I think it's about asking the big questions. Like, let's explore that and really put it outward but without making it an inner dialogue and becoming something people can't relate to. Being vulnerable with that emotion and putting that on a stage in the way that we have in our live performance, I think it's a really empowering thing. It's about, I don't know, asking for more. You should ask your rock stars for more. It means you don't just wear the clothes and write the hook. Put more of yourself in the music and try and grapple more out of it.

Carlo Kriekaard: It's reinforced by the live show, definitely. Because for me – and I think for the rest of us – I can leave it all on the stage. And some of the lyrics Hamish writes, the music we've written, is very powerful and it's really nice to let it all out.

Conor: We can really share that euphoric therapy with other people in a room, and hope that the audience can get the same back from it that we got when we put ourselves into it in the first place.

Hamish: Usually people go on tour and they come back out of shape. I come back from tour so much fitter.

The stages are only getting bigger too –you’re playing the Pitchfork Paris shows and then the SAMAs in a couple of weeks.

Hamish: Pitchfork Paris is a teenage dream for us all. I think we watched all the shows growing up, so to be asked to do it is a full-circle moment for us. I think it's another kind of teenage dream come true.

Conor: The SAMA show is such a nice thing, like I have mad respect for what they do to shine a light on young artists and Scottish artists. I think we need so much more of that up here. I think pride in your community means everything, so it's amazing to see folk get recognition

Hamish: And it’s been voted for by the people; I think that the most important thing is that it’s for the people. It seems to have grown really organically over time and that's our favourite thing. So we always kind of look at that and look at who's on there.

Alex Pearson: I’m stoked to play Saint Luke's as well. My favourite venue. I worked there for three years, so it's really exciting to actually be up on stage. After this we will be wrapped up, pretty much, for the year, so it's going to be a good celebration.

VLURE play the Scottish Alternative Music Awards at Saint Luke's, 8th December

FOODIE NEWS

EDINBURGH

Antonietta

331 Leith Walk

Edinburgh EH6 8SA

Antonietta is a new Italian restaurant opening where La Favorita used to be on Leith Walk. It will be run by the same owners, the Vittoria Group, who also operate other Edinburgh restaurants such as nearby Vittoria on the Walk, Bertie’s, and Divino Enoteca. It will open in early December, just in time for Christmas parties.

vittoriagroup.co.uk

The Black Grape

240 Canongate

Edinburgh EH8 8AB

A new wine bar and restaurant offering a small plates menu, The Black Grape will open on Monday 19th December. Occupying the old Pancho Villa’s site on the Royal Mile and spread over two levels, it will feature a curved bar, a communal ten-seater table, a private booth, and two grand window tables that look out onto the Canongate. The soundtrack will be soul, funk, and blues.

theblackgrape.co.uk

Patina

3 Airborne Place, 1 New Park Square Edinburgh EH12 9GR

Patina is a new restaurant, bar, and bakery at Edinburgh Park that is also a music venue, focusing on regular folk and jazz nights and promoting new Scottish talent. It’s good to see a business like this in an area outside the usual trendy ones. Opening times for the bakery, restaurant, and bar vary: check their website for details. Closed Sundays. patinaedinburgh.com

Egg & Co Pop Up

Waverley Market

Edinburgh EH1 1BQ

Following a successful pop-up on George Street earlier this year, egg & co is open again for the run-up to Christmas, and this time it can be found just off the escalators to Waverley station. The pop-up stocks all sorts of gifting items, including homewares, books, and jewellery, but we are most interested in the range of independent Scottish spirits, of course. Established in 2017, egg is a network of female-led businesses from across Scotland. The pop-up is open 10am till 6pm Tuesday to Sunday. weareegg.co.uk

GLASGOW

Cranside Winter Village

28 Tunnel Street

Glasgow G3 8HL

Cranside Kitchen's Winter Village returns this festive period with a Scandinavian makeover, again offering a selection of independent street food vendors, mulled wine, hot cider, a winter BBQ, and hog roasts every weekend. There will also be a variety of live entertainment, with resident DJs, a comedy night, and party nights until 2am. The rooftop cocktail and whisky bar will be showing World Cup matches. You can even hire a forest chalet for you and your friends, plus there are private huts for up to six with comfier seating and warm rugs. Open till Sunday 1st January 2023 from noon till late. cransidekitchen.co.uk/wintervillage

Innis & Gunn

22–24 West Nile Street Glasgow G1 2PW

Innis & Gunn have opened a brand new taproom where Bill’s was, next to Las Iguanas in the city centre. It has 21 craft beer taps, pouring Innis & Gunn’s full range and limited editions, plus guest beers from trusted breweries. Small plates and bar snacks are available to eat. Open daily from noon till midnight.

innisandgunn.com

Salt & Chilli Oriental

67 Kilmarnock Road Glasgow G41 3YR

Chef owner Jimmy Lee of Lychee Oriental has opened a third Salt & Chilli restaurant and takeaway, this time in Shawlands where McFly’s Chicken was. Serving Cantonese street food with twists alongside the classics, the restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday and the mezzanine level can also be booked out for private dining and functions.

salt-chilli.co.uk

and Drink by Mark & Emma, Foodie

Photo credit: Reece Buchanan

When money is tighter than usual it’s stressful, but then Christmas rolls around, when you are socially obliged to be social, buy gifts, and spend, spend, spend, and the stress mounts. Fear not, Foodie Explorers have recently reviewed a book that not only is one for your Christmas want list but one that could save you some cash too.

Grow Your Own Booze by Glasgow-born author Lorraine Turnbull has everything you need to know to make booze from scratch at home. It seems like you can make booze from anything. In the book, you will find that ingredients such as bananas, courgettes, and even peas can be made into an alcoholic drink.

Grow Your Own Booze is a book in two parts. Part one concentrates on equipment and foraging, including a foraging calendar, and how to grow your own plants suitable for booze creation. Different kinds of booze need different equipment types, and Lorraine explains what equipment is utilised in all alcohol-making, enabling you to buy them before deciding what you would like to make. Each section is an easy-to-read full description of what the item is and why you need it.

Part two looks closely at how different types of booze are made and how to make them at home. Again, this is an easy-to-read section filled with information.

One of the recipes that caught our attention was 48-hour ginger beer. Yup, alcoholic ginger beer ready in just 48 hours! We include Lorraine’s recipe here, as well as some substitutions we used as we didn’t have all the bits.

ALCOHOLIC GINGER BEER: READY IN 48 HOURS

INGREDIENTS

75g finely chopped or grated fresh raw ginger

2 unwaxed lemons, sliced thin

500g golden caster sugar*

1 tsp cream of tartar**

1 sachet of dried wine yeast (white wine)***

4.5 litres of water

METHOD

Before we begin, we need to sterilise the bottles. Wash them and the lids in hot soapy water and leave them to dry upside down on a roasting tray. Place the tray of clean, wet jars and lids into a preheated oven at 160–180ºC for about 15 mins. Put the ginger, lemons, sugar, and cream of tartar (or baking soda/bicarbonate of soda) and 1.5 litres of water into a large pot. Heat gently and stir to dissolve the sugar.

Bring the mixture to a boil, take off the heat and add the remaining 3 litres of cold water. Stir to mix. Stir in the yeast and cover loosely with a lid. Leave the pot overnight in a cool place.

Next day, strain the mixture through muslin or a paper coffee filter and pour into sterilised bottles. Do not fill fully: leave at least 5 cm at the top of the bottle. If they are screw top, unscrew the lids slightly to let the gas out.

WARNING! If they are swing top, open the lids every few hours to release the pressure. We can attest to this as we awoke one morning to a lovely patterned wall of ginger beer foam and broken glass, so we recommend using 500ml beer bottles or growler bottles. Our first attempt was with a Kilner sloe gin kit with swing-top bottle tops, but the glass on these is quite thin, so two of the bottles exploded overnight due to the pressure! So thicker glass is better. Keep them near a sink in case they spurt, but somewhere safe away from pets and children. Don’t forget to occasionally open the lids – we can’t stress this enough!

The ginger beer will be ready to drink in 48 hours. Then keep the ginger beer chilled and consume it within 3 days. If you want to keep your ginger beer longer, Campden tablets can be purchased, which will kill the yeast and stop fermentation. We haven’t tried this, so make sure you read all the documentation with the Campden tablets to ensure correct use.

Substitutions

*We used dark brown sugar as that's what we had a lot of. This gave a beautiful dark colour to the ginger beer and a more caramel taste. If needs be, normal granulated sugar can be used, or blitz granulated sugar in a grinder for fake caster sugar.

**Cream of tartar: if you don’t have this, use baking soda instead (also sold as bicarbonate of soda). Cream of tartar prevents the sugar from crystallising. It can also be used around the house as a non-toxic household cleaner, especially when combined with lemon juice or vinegar.

***We used normal yeast in a packet from the supermarket. One 7g packet was used.

Grow Your Own Booze by Lorraine Turnbull is available to buy now in paperback and for Kindle

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS

I’m only human, and there is an unparalleled glee to enduringly saccharine, predictable Christmas movies, and I’ve seen them all: Mel B’s The Twelve Trees of Christmas, Brooke Shield’s A Castle for Christmas, and, of course, Vanessa Hudgens’ juggernaut trilogy, The Christmas Switch. However, even the blackest of cynical hearts needs to find some pure, unadulterated joy and whimsy as the holiday season approaches, and for me that means returning to the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Look no further than Vincente Minnelli’s Technicolor camp wonder Meet Me in St. Louis, a film so festive, heart-warming and very, very, gay that even Scrooge himself would stream it in the lead up to Christmas day. Victory rolls? Christmas? Judy Garland? It doesn’t get gayer than this.

The plot is fairly straightforward (who needs to think on Christmas Day?): Esther Smith and her family live in this sick house in St. Louis, and all of them are super excited for the 1904 World’s Fair, hosted in their city. However, the girls’ father gets a job in New York, and the prospect of attending the fair hangs in the balance. A fate worse than death! In the meantime, Esther feels the pressure to find a man to propose to her, a problem we can all relate to, and her family (especially youngest sister Tootie) are dismally sad at the prospect of heading to the Big Apple. Hijinks and musical frivolity ensue. Listen, the story is largely irrelevant: this is a truly joyous viewing experience.

Absurdly over-saturated, the film is gorgeous to look at, and is almost dreamlike in how extreme the set pieces are, how cheery everyone is, and how dedicated each character is to expressing every possible emotion through song. The wigs and costumes are staggeringly beautiful, as one would expect from MGM in this era, and the musical numbers are next level. This film gives us one of Garland’s most memorable numbers, ‘The Trolley Song’ (which I have been humming incessantly as I write), and ‘The Boy Next Door.’ And while the film may be longer than it needs to be, it is surprisingly funny for a wholesome family musical of the era.

All things considered, despite its absence of any queerness, Meet Me in St. Louis is surely the gayest Christmas film of all time. Of course, it stars Judy Garland, which would typically be enough for the film to qualify for such an esteemed and serious title, but it goes deeper than that. This is where Judy first met and worked with director Vincente Minnelli, himself a closeted gay man, and the two went on to create the Liza Minnelli. Who knew a film could harness such power? And of course, Meet Me in St. Louis features the perennial classic ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’, which is more maudlin, almost heartbreaking, in the context of the film than one may realise. And don’t think for a second we are sleeping on the fact it contains the lyrics about ‘making the Yuletide gay…’ Don’t worry – Mr Minnelli has that covered.

But we need to talk about Judy. Ms. Garland is the archetypal gay icon: throughout her life, she embodied the camp sensibility and aesthetic that appeal to so many gay men, and it is this sense of frivolity that serves as a tonic for the challenges that being LGBT+ can present. But her performance in this movie (one she noted herself as one of her finest) highlights the power of her star quality: incredible singing and dancing aside, Garland’s presence onscreen is so magnetic, as she deftly balances vulnerability and confidence as Esther.

The almost cartoonish quality of her musical roles, of course, is paralleled with the off-camera struggles we now know plagued her: aware of how overworked, under the influence of studioprescribed drugs, and taken advantage of she was, the audience at once revels in the joy of Garland’s performance and feels shattered by the adversity she faced when the camera switched off.

Quite simply, Meet Me in St. Louis is a wildly entertaining and beautifully designed film guaranteed to help your heart grow at least three times its size. The moral of the film is clear: home is where the heart is (even though the entitled Smith sisters sure put their father through hell to ensure that they don’t leave their bougie townhouse in St Louis…).

There is real poignancy when Esther returns home to find Tootie waiting impatiently for Santa, concerned about whether she can bring all her toys with her to New York. Esther reassures Tootie that they will be together no matter where they go, a sentiment that feels particularly pertinent when one considers the turbulence of the last few years. This year, SNACK invites you to forgo Vanessa Hudgens in favour of our beloved Judy and indulge in this high-octane Christmas cracker. You’ll never ride a trolley car the same again (if you even can. Are they still a thing? Comment below).

Merry Christmas.

Sault

The history of the long-playing record in popular music is littered with cautionary tales of acts attempting to record an epic double album and releasing a bloated, misfiring lump of filler, later to be regretted. There are fewer case studies, however, for acts releasing five surprise albums in one day, which is what Sault have done.

It’s not as if they – musicians and artists helmed by influential producer and multi-instrumentalist Inflo – had sat on their collective laurels in the preceding period of 2022. They’d already released an album and an EP since our careering planet last journeyed around the sun AND those two releases showcased pivots from their more established jazzsoul-funk sound towards contemporary classical and fusion-reggae respectively.

Do these five albums justify being five distinct bodies of work? Is there enough quality material amongst these 56 tracks to justify a casual listener filtering through all of them? The answer to both of these non-rhetorical questions is surprisingly affirmative.

Of this expansive accomplishment of a pentalogy, 11 sticks out from the other four in that the songs sound slightly more deliberately constructed than some of the other jam-oriented, mood-based collections. There are echoes of Afrobeat and lots of low-ceilinged jazz club vibes, but the journey from start to finish on 11 is one linked by a sense of gospel-soaked spirituality.

Opening song ‘Glory’ revolves around the sort of impactful, groovy bassline usually found in a pastiche of a seventies cop show. The ragga-style rap breakdown sounds like a completely different song before that familiar bassline wrestles its way back in to control the groove.

Featuring a gloriously obvious guitar with a single coil pick-up, ‘Fear No One’ moves its way through smoothly played minor seventh chords in a hypnotic loop, over which every other musical component slithers.

Track by Track:

‘Morning Sun’ displays the power of phrasing the same refrain differently. In the intro, it sounds like a layered gospel aria but, when repeated throughout the main body of the song, has a laidback reggae feel. The heavily affected guitar is worth mentioning here, as the delay and dripping reverb fill out the compressed sound.

Another guitar sound worth highlighting comes in the relentlessly funky ‘Together’. A wall of wailing wah-wah and flange, it pulses its merry way behind a powering rhythm section.

‘Higher’ feels stuck behind two worlds. A vocal reminiscent of a disco-era banger rolls over a stabby, phasing keyboard synth which at once sounds from the future and from the demo setting of a small Casio.

‘Jack’s Gift’ slightly breaks up the rhythm of the record with a percussion-free maelstrom of chimes, electric piano flourishes, and a slightly sci-fi spoken part. Equal parts wondrous and spooky, the spoken section harks back to the unifying strand of spiritual nourishment.

Sounding like a record originally sampled for something during the P-Funk era, ‘Fight for Love’ mixes a rich Cuban sound with the virtual environs of a small, smoky club where sorrows are drunk away and supposedly misunderstood husbands tell anyone within earshot about their perceived loneliness.

That virtual club continues to impose its presence on ‘Envious’. I have no idea whose voices are being harmonised, but the result is sumptuous and perfectly bedded within a rich mix of lounge instruments.

‘River’ forms the last, but best, part of a downbeat triumvirate. The pauses in the rhythm track are filled out with majestically delayed guitars dragging every last bit of tone out of whatever vintage amp they’re playing through.

The song’s core message of not rushing and taking it easier with people’s hearts is perfectly pitched given the relaxed tempo.

The tempo hardly picks up for ‘In the Air’ but it does feel thematically different from the preceding three tracks, even if using lots of the same elements. The main hook consists of a rich three-note motif that blends into a repeated use of saturated feedback. Given that the song’s other instruments maintain their subtlety throughout, this adds an unsettling otherworldliness.

Closer ‘The Circle’ has at its core a simple bass lick so groovy that not much would need to be added to make a solid experimental track. However, the dreamy vocals and splash-heavy drum patterns that come in halfway through turn this into something of a twenty-first century take on the blurry sex appeal of a cybernetic Serge Gainsbourg.

Each of the other four albums we’ve briefly hinted at are 100% worth the investment of your time. Aiir is a follow-up to April’s classically cinematic Air Earth is more recognisably Sault but with all the polyphonic intensity turned up to brain melting levels. UNTITLED (God) is a sequel to the Mercurynominated, 2020 release, UNTITLED (Black Is) but its 21 tracks are varied to the point of being slightly confusing. Today & Tomorrow has the funkiest basslines and 11 has its meticulous consistency tied up in a worshipful spiritual package.

There’s no underselling what an achievement it is to release this absolute volume of original material with such an obvious lack of filler or disappointments. It almost feels like showing off.

11 is out now via Forever Living Originals

DAVID F. ROSS

Book: Dashboard Elvis is Dead

It must be difficult to follow a critically acclaimed novel. David F. Ross’ There’s Only One Danny Garvey was widely regarded as his best to date; shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish Book of the Year Award last year, and making it on to many best books of 2021 lists. With his latest, Dashboard Elvis is Dead, what Ross has done is to move the majority of the action stateside, giving a more expansive feel to his writing. It’s a transatlantic affair, with a number of storylines on the go in both Scotland and the US. The novel takes in the wide open spaces of America, paying homage to its culture and history and links it back home to Scotland. It also looks at how chance encounters and coincidences can shape and change people’s lives.

There’s a wonderful cast of characters, including political climber Anna Mason, musician Jamie Hewitt and his band, The Hyptones, who are ready to self-implode just as fame and success are within their grasp, and the enigmatic artist Rabbit.

However, in photojournalist Jude Montgomery, Ross has given us one of the most memorable characters of recent times. Through her journey across America she seeks to find answers, and find herself. As she does so, we get to see famous and infamous events in the country’s history from an individual's perspective; her experiences highlighting the human cost behind the headlines. It’s a difficult task to have multiple characters and storylines and keep them all relevant, and few writers manage to keep all the plates spinning as skilfully as Ross does here. You are invested in each and every one, so when everything is brought together the effect is all the more powerful.

Dashboard Elvis is Dead is a rich and rewarding novel that takes in the culture and social history of both Scotland and the USA, beautifully weaving stories over decades before bringing them together in a manner that is devastating. The result is an epic yet intimate novel, one which manages to be both panoramic and personal.

Dashboard Elvis is Dead will be published 8th December by Orenda Books Alistair Braidwood

CAROLYN HAYS

Book: A Girlhood: A Letter to My Transgender Daughter

A Girlhood, although incredibly intimate, is widely universal, opening up questions of authenticity, motherhood, and parent-child relationships. It’s also a parent’s love letter to a daughter who has always known precisely who she is; a girl. The book is life-affirming and brings joy as well as compassion to this life-altering tale, which outlines the pain and suffering transgender children experience when their gender identity is not respected or acknowledged.

A Girlhood is grounded in the Bible Belt of the American South, and a cataclysm strikes the door of this family that causes them to move. A caseworker from the Department of Children and Families explores a complaint that the family are encouraging their transgender daughter to explore her identity. This threat instigates the family to move out of the area, but they are always within reaching distance of curiosity, hate and wonder.

Both epic and intimate, the book explores grief, trauma, revelation, and discusses what happened when women communicated the voice of God in the 1400s. Debut novelist Victoria MacKenzie will turn heads in 2023 with this intriguing historical and rhythmic read.

Set in 1413, this novel sees a pivotal meeting of two female mystics from the Middle Ages. Margery Kempe has left her fourteen children and abusive husband behind to make her journey to meet Julian of Norwich, an anchoress withdrawn from the secular world. Margery has visions of Christ that not only get her into trouble with her husband, but also the men of the church, who denounce her visions as heresy.

This book, written under a pseudonym, is a stunning and insightful piece of work that asks us all to love better, with comprehensive reasoning and staggering facts about how recent policies in some states in the US have been worsening trans rights. Comparable to works by activists such as Rebecca Solnit, author of Hope in the Dark , this book is not just a love letter but a call to action, a plea for empathy and a better future. I would be incredibly surprised if this title doesn’t pick up a few awards in 2023; it’s one to watch out for.

Keira Brown

VICTORIA MACKENZIE

Book: For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on My Little Pain

Complete with its incredibly wordy title, For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on My Little Pain is a wonderful debut.

Julian of Norwich, in contrast to Margery Kempe, has told no one of her own visions, but must soon. The meeting of these two incredible women recalls the threat men felt from women preachers, and the many adversities they faced. Told via a narrative structure that feels jarring at first, it’s not long before the reader acclimatises to the rhythm of the novel as the women get closer and closer to meeting. An intriguing concept and brilliant debut from Victoria MacKenzie, as she brings strong female characters to the fore.

For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on My Little Pain is out 19th January, published by Bloomsbury

Keira Brown

A Girlhood: A Letter to my Transgender Daughter is out 19th January via Picador

ROSIE H SULLIVAN

Single: So I’ve Been Told

Hailing from the windswept Isle of Lewis, Rosie H Sullivan has created music throughout her teens, and whilst ‘So I’ve Been Told’ is only her third ‘official’ single, she’s clearly already an accomplished musician. The song shows off exactly what can be achieved with just an acoustic guitar, strong vocals, and considered lyrics. It’s stark, contemplative, intimate, and makes the notoriously challenging art of songwriting look easy – those hushed vocal harmonies are just the icing on the cake. Keep your ears peeled for Rosie’s upcoming EP – 123 Degrees East

‘So I’ve Been Told’ is out now via Nettwerk Records

Chris Sneddon

GIRL FRIDAY

Single: It Needs You

Following their debut album Androgynous Mary in 2020 – and a couple of moody but catchy tracks in 2021 (see ‘You’re Getting a Dog’ in particular) –LA quartet Girl Friday return with their latest single, ‘It Needs You’.

Chugging, fuzzed-up riffs, plodding drums and bass, and morosely soothing vocals drive the song forward, before searching shoegaze effects, delicate guitar lines, and deep harmonies add a subtle depth and intimacy. There’s something timeless about the production, and despite the relatively low urgency, ‘It Needs You’ will get right under your skin.

‘It Needs You’ is out now

Chris Sneddon

CAROLINE POLACHEK

Single: Sunset

For fans of Caroline Polachek’s glossy, cuttingedge synth-pop, ‘Sunset’ is surprisingly downto-earth. The American artist’s latest release, a collaboration with Irish-Scottish producer Sega Bodega which first debuted in a live performance last year, is short, sweet, and relatively simple, swapping shining electronics for sultry, tingling guitar and the blazing colours of a summer evening. ‘Sunset’ is out now

Zoë White

GUMS! FT. BRATCHY

Single: Midland Street

Written with David Bratchpiece, co-author of Brickwork: A Biography of The Arches, this is a heartfelt and heartbroken paean to the muchbeloved Glasgow venue. It will tug at the hazy memories of those of us who spent their twenties there, fused with a brittle anger at the office blocks that ripped out the soul of the city.

'Midland Street' is out now as a pay what you can download, with funds going to Help For Musicians

Single: Without You

An unhealthy, unhappy relationship can be like being tethered to a ship that is slowly sinking. And while the latest single from Moonsoup may dwell on the prospect of being dragged down by an unfit partner, there is a breezy elation tied up in Niamh Baker's melodies and the slippery electronic flourishes that accompany gently strummed nylon strings. ‘Without You’ is the sound of slipping the collar to free yourself from whatever is holding you back, and heralds an exciting new start for Moonsoup in the process.

‘Without You’ is out on 9th December

Craig Howieson

Photo credit: Aidan Zamiri

Photo credit: towserowt photography

Chris Queen

BROWNBEAR

Single: Close Call

A welcome blast of summery joy in the midst of the Scottish winter, Matt Hickman’s brownbear return after a two-year hiatus, with jangling guitars, exuberant brass, and a stomping earworm of a power pop tune. A bittersweet celebration of knowing you’re seeing someone for the last time, and making every second count.

‘Close Call’ is out now

ALICE LOW

Single: Show Business

Soaring, sexy glam from the Cardiff-based avantpop act that recalls the artsier end of the early seventies; baroque strings and torch song vocals with a shimmering strut and a louche seediness.

Flipping between a rock star swagger and a vulnerable need for affirmation, it’s a gloriously extravagant pop song with an ascendant stomp of a chorus.

‘Show Business’ is out now

Chris Queen

EMMA MARTIN

Single: Deeds not Words

The slash-and-burn method of razing a field to leave behind a fertile layer of ash soil is echoed in this song and tells us to ‘blow the ash away’. It begins with a small spark, transcending to hypnotic swaying activist anthem flames, leaving behind a soothing ashy layer of strings. POWA (Protection of Women in the Arts) commissioned this track from Emma Martin, produced by Siobhan Wilson (who also plays cello on the track), with fiddle from Laura Wilkie and Cat Myers on drums.

'Deeds not Words' is available now via POWA’s patreon

Chris Queen

Photo credit: Gabby Secomb-Flegg

Photo credit: Huw Evans

NO WINDOWS

EP: Fishboy

Much has been made about the ages of Edinburgh duo No Windows. At just 17 and 18 years old respectively, multi-instrumentalist Morgan Morris and vocalist Verity Slangen have been lauded for possessing such strong writing sensibilities while still so young. But if truth be told, bringing their age into the conversation diminishes their achievements on their debut EP, Fishboy. It isn’t an impressive set of songs for a group of their age; it is an impressive set of songs full stop. Harnessing the eclectic experimentalism of Alex G and the soul-softening indie-pop of Tomberlin, the duo show they are more than capable of having lo-fi basement jams (‘Spit (Blue Song)’) and uplifting brass-infected new-folk (‘Eggshells’) nestling together on an EP that barely takes up 15 minutes of your time. Fishboy is an exciting snippet of ideas that warrant repeated investigation.

Fishboy is out now via Something

Craig Howieson

AKELA

EP: ARCANA

While a lot of artists talk about their eclectic influences, the debut EP from the young Edinburgh musician shows an impressive range and ambition, with each song almost sounding like it could be a different artist.

Drawing inspiration from the Major suits of the tarot deck, the four songs on this EP each reflect a contrasting aspect of AKELA as an artist. ‘magi’ is a strong, determined opener, with a beat-driven hip-hop influence and looped mandolin evocative of wild Balkan steppes. ‘omen’ is a softer take, led by the layered vocal harmonies of a boy band ballad, while the clubby synth pop of ‘fools’ talks of fresh starts and empowerment, with vocals from collaborator Chloe Roze. Closing track ‘collide’ is all optimistic, lyrical power pop, doomed love, and driving off into the horizon.

There’s a genuinely impressive range on this EP, and a depth of thought, ambition, and execution that make me very excited to see where they go next – judging by this, it really could be anywhere at all.

is out now

Photo credit: Rory Barnes

ARCANA

Chris Queen

HAWA

Album: HADJA BANGOURA

Inspired by her great-grandmother who passed away earlier this year, this debut album from classically trained musician, rapper and singer Hawa is short, a little flawed, but inspired. Produced by Tony Seltzer, who has worked with the likes of Ski Mask The Slump God and Princess Nokia, it blurs drill, ambient, and RnB to dizzying effect.

Hawa's voice is beautiful, as evinced by the febrile and atmospheric 'INDYA', and 'EN ROUTE’ is both melancholic and sharp, blending 70s keyboard with beats. Unfortunately, the brevity of the tracks is a little frustrating – one or two minutes isn't long enough to let songs develop, leaving some feeling like demos. As with most talented artists, the obligatory use of autotune becomes a little tiresome when it's clear that Hawa has real vocal chops.

Saying that, the studio trickery can also work well at times: the brilliantly titled 'MMMM' has chopped-up ambient sounds, 'TRADE' is glitchy, jittery, and full of attitude, and the 90s-influenced 'AIN’T U' beautifully bridges the gap between Aphex Twin and Aaliyah, finding warm soul within cold electronica.

So, there is huge potential in this debut, full of shape-shifting ideas, interesting, enigmatic samples which add to the mystique, and zesty production. It works particularly well when it cuts loose and really experiments with genre, as on the aforementioned 'AIN’T U'. But less is sometimes not more, and at 18 minutes long, it makes The Strokes' Is This It feel like a rock epic.

HADJA BANGOURA is out now via 4AD Lorna Irvine

SU-A LEE

Album: Dialogues

The South Korea-born, Edinburgh-based musician Su-a Lee has a thirty-year career as vibrant as her distinctive, flame-red hair. Famous for her work with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, as well as many global collaborations, the Juilliard-trained cellist's official debut solo album carries a weight of expectation. Thankfully, it's every bit as wonderful as befits such an elegant, uncompromising player.

The lush production makes light work of this album, which features both original and reworked traditional compositions. It's a masterful showcase of how classical and folk can meld effortlessly together. It is so titled as Lee teams up with other musicians for each track, creating ‘dialogues’ – kind of sonic conversations. From the spritely opener 'Baroque Suite', featuring Donald Shaw on piano and harmonium, to the haunting 'Oblivion', with Netherlands bandoneon player Carel Kraayenhof, the spirit of reinvention is always present.

By far, the finest tracks are 'Mill O' Tifty's Annie', an intense spin on the traditional Scots ballad, featuring gorgeous, brooding storytelling from Karine Polwart and sinewy playing from Lee, and 'Waltzaka For Su-a', where Lee duets to potent effect with another cellist, Natalie Haas. The tempo changes and rich textures really keep the listener on their toes. Lee's poignant closing track, her version of Burns' 'Ae Fond Kiss', arranged by late friend and musician Kevin McCrae, proves just as moving when performed completely stripped back. The sheer scope and moods here reaffirm Lee as one of Scotland's most versatile musicians.

Dialogues is out on Bandcamp 2nd December and all other platforms 20th January

Lorna Irvine

JAMIE LENMAN

Album: The Atheist

Jamie Lenman is a bona fide legend in the UK alternative scene, to the point that even the title of his 2020 album, King of Clubs, alludes to his status as a champion of the underground.

Since his solo career began in 2013, the former frontman of fabled post-hardcore/alt rock heroes Reuben has continually pushed the boundaries of what his music can be, all without losing sight of his heavy, melodic roots. Double album Muscle Memory split those opposing forces into two, one side crushing hardcore, the other, straight-up folk. Devolver experimented with the styles and rhythms of electronic pop, Shuffle reinvented the cover album, and mini-album King Of Clubs saw him seduced by the dark side.

The Atheist is Jamie turning back towards the light, and as a result, it’s his most accessible release yet. ‘This Is All There Is’ opens the album in style, mixing grunge riffs with his trademark vocal hooks and ‘Lenmanisms’ (‘You really think there’s a heaven and hell? Well maybe there’s a planet Krypton as well’), but it's ‘Talk Hard’ that truly sets the album’s tone, with bright instrumentals and singalong melodies fit to warm even the most cynical of hearts. Stubborn fans might lament the lack of screaming and skull-crushing aggression, but with gorgeous tracks like ‘Hospital Tree’ and ‘Bad Friend’ nestled amongst melodic bangers like ‘My Anchor’, ‘Deep Down’ and ‘Song On My Tongue’, you really shouldn’t care. This is still very much a Jamie Lenman album, and a very excellent one at that.

The Atheist is out now via Big Scary Monsters

Chris Sneddon

Photo credit: Jen Hingley

Photo credit: Elly Lucas

HAILEY BEAVIS

Album:

i’ll

put you where the trombone slides

Where do you put the memories and feelings you keep at arm’s length but can’t relinquish altogether? With her debut album of off-kilter art-pop, i’ll put you where the trombone slides, Scottish musician Hailey Beavis offers an answer, imagining, in her words, ‘all this abstract emotion perpetually suspended in the act of the trombone being played’.

It’s an album of suspension, of in-betweens and unresolved feelings. The twinkling optimism of opener ‘Anything That Shines’ is destabilised by scraping strings; the plinking piano on ‘Blackbird’ fractured by brittle guitar. Beavis weaves a delicate, spindly web of guitar and strings on the entrancing ‘Crow’, but notes strain against the melody, as if to escape confinement. Even on the peaceful waltz ‘Happier’, producers Jane Loveless and Ben Seal keep the guitar raw and unpolished.

‘Sinking Sunset’ is altogether darker: a tangle of reverb, slippery electronics, and warbled cello. ‘All it Takes’ immerses Beavis in a tempestuous fog, and there’s a mordant chill to the synth-pop of ‘Shark Bite’.

But despite dark, restless undertones, the album is steeped in beauty. ‘Shipwreck’ paints a glittering, romantic seascape, cloaked in violins. More eccentric, ‘Shot at the Coconut’ is a whimsical collage of sounds, neither clashing nor quite cohering. ‘New Heat’ builds from fragile beginnings into a glorious crescendo, before Beavis concludes with the blissful, rippling ‘Back to the Water’.

As its compelling title suggests, Beavis’s debut is an album of living moments; emotions jostle, sounds coalesce into melodies – right in the moment the trombone slides.

i’ll put you where the trombone slides is out now via OK Pal Records

Zoë White

THE DEADLINE SHAKES

Album: Documentaries

This album is like a tasting menu from a kooky restaurant with its own plot of homegrown varieties out back – perfect for those with a preference for eclectic combinations. Not one song goes the way you expect it to. The album begins with the gentle yet crunchy ‘Documentaries’, replete with crooning: smooth pâte on crackers served with honeyberries. ‘Ditching of the Roses’ is dots and jellies and foams of uncanny head-nodding elements. ‘Heavy Baby’ is a meaty chunk of 80s with a funk drizzle. They even have a song called ‘Limoncello’, which serves as a citrusy palette cleanser before the desserts, including the cheeseboard ‘Mid-Air and Moonlight’; soft and hard, sweet and tangy.

Documentaries is out now

Natalie Jayne Clark

LONGLIST

ONE SECOND

Film

You would be hard pressed to find a Chinese director with more of a legacy than Zhang Yimou. Period swordplay classic Hero’s box office success was the highest in America for a foreign film in the early noughties, and his early dramas are regarded as some of the best films ever produced. One Second (2020) finds Zhang back in familiar territory.

The film is set in the 60s during the politically sensitive Cultural Revolution period in mainland China. Just before the picture was set to screen at the 2019 Berlin Film Festival, it was withdrawn and censored by the Chinese government, and Zhang was forced to do reshoots. Zhang’s films have been edited and changed before, but not to this extent. It’s a shame, but the film finds new ways to tell its story, and is noticeably tighter, lighter, and more humorous than those from his dramatic filmography I’ve seen.

Zhang Jiusheng (Yi Zhang) has escaped from a labour camp in the mid 1960s, and roams the desert until he comes across a small village. There he encounters Orphan Liu (Haocun Liu), who steals a can with a reel of film. He chases her, and the two begin a friendship.

The village has a cinema, presided over by Mr Movie (Wei Fan), whose son carelessly lets another film reel fall out of the can. Zhang has a personal reason to view the reel, and he must see it at all costs.

Zhang has called One Second his ‘love letter to movies’ through concentrating on the process of screening the film reel and the communal experience the villagers have watching pictures in the small cinema. However, the characters' stories are just as important as paying homage. The chemistry between Zhang and Liu is palpable, and gives the film a strong core and a beating heart. Their relationship is fluid and believable, moving from hostility and mistrust to respect and, come the end, a father/daughter dynamic. The warm haze of a happy ending is just what this story needed, and the viewer is left basking in it.

The opening of One Second is a master at work. From the beautifully photographed images of Zhang walking across sand dunes to his first encounter with Liu in a dimly lit street, the images are distilled brilliance in visual storytelling. They leave traces of lightness that persist in the narrative. The film becomes melancholy and intense later on, though an attempt to ratchet up tension doesn’t work as well as it should, due to the slow pace.

If One Second was made by a lesser director, it would be near the top of their filmography. The sheer brilliance in Zhang’s output over the years means the film sits alongside his best films strongly, but falls short of the masterpiece that is 1987’s Red Sorghum. It’s still a delight.

One Second is streaming on Mubi now

Martin Sandison

LAPS

Content warning: sexual assault

Film

It can be hard to capture the particular humiliation and fear that public sexual assault inflicts on a person. To experience something so vicious with an audience of strangers can only magnify the vulnerability and shame felt, especially when no one comes to your aid. In her short film Laps (2017), Charlotte Wells vividly portrays this cruel reality that far too many women know too well.

Set in a packed NYC subway car, the short is a sharp study of a woman's experience of sexual assault. With no dialogue, it's the details the camera closes in on – her ripped shirt, his arm as it presses against hers, trapping her; her frantic eyes as she searches around hoping someone will help her and the apathetic faces of those who look away – that make it so powerful.

Wells brings the audience right up close, heightening the experience to a point of necessary discomfort. The camera is shaky, the editing rapid, and the sounds form a cacophony of overstimulation – together these translate the intensely distressing nature of assault into something anyone can feel.

The title, Laps, highlights the endless cycle of assault. Everyday spaces like subway cars are relentlessly turned into scenes of trauma.

And so, like in the laps we swim, there are only short moments to come up for air before life pushes forward, forcing us to choose – keep swimming or drown.

It is easy to see the similarities between Laps and Wells's debut feature Aftersun – not in subject matter, but in her cinematic language. The clarity and confidence with which she is able to communicate emotions that so often feel difficult to comprehend is simply breathtaking.

Both films also highlight the value of the female gaze in cinema. In Laps, Wells makes a clear choice to focus on emotion rather than explicit violence, and it’s undoubtedly more powerful because of that. Its strength lies in this choice of subtlety over sensationalism and its depiction of assault free from objectification.

In Aftersun, Sophie’s narrative is given a similar treatment. On the edge of adolescence, the 11-year-old is seen gazing at older girls with a kind of wonder, but she does so without objectifying them.

In under six minutes, Laps delivers a gutwrenchingly potent depiction of assault that is both a difficult and necessary watch.

Laps and more of Wells's short films are available at charlottewells.com Aftersun is in UK cinemas now

Morven Mackay

2022 was a memorable year for Scottish writing, with great debuts, the return of old favourites, novels, novellas, short stories, memoirs, and much more. So many books are published each year that it can be difficult to know where to start. With this in mind, SNACK presents you with Ten Best Scottish Books of 2022.

Jenni Fagan had another remarkable year. Her collection of poetry, The Bone Library, was rightly acclaimed, but it was her novella Hex that really stood out. It’s an exemplar of the form, a book that tells its story across space and time from a writer who is fully engaged with both subject and style.

Hex is published with Polygon Books

Not only the best debut of the year, but my book of the year – Ryan O’Connor’s The Voids introduced an exciting new voice to Scottish writing. It is honest and artistic, setting out the drama of ordinary lives in a manner direct and raw, yet humane and ultimately hopeful.

The Voids is published with Scribe

Inspired by the true story of Jean Campbell, the first Deaf person to be tried in a Scottish court, Sarah Smith’s Hear No Evil is a whodunit and a race against time. It also asks us to consider the institutional barriers Deaf and other disabled people had to face, something which remains relevant.

Hear No Evil is published with Two Roads

RYAN O’CONNOR – THE VOIDS

JENNI FAGAN – HEX

SARAH SMITH – HEAR NO EVIL

KIRSTI WISHART – THE PROJECTIONIST

The Projectionist is a love letter to the cinema of the past, the fading glamour of the buildings that showed them, and the small towns where they were often found. It manages to make you nostalgic for a time and place which never existed, and has twists, turns, and MacGuffins of which Hitchcock would have been proud.

The Projectionist is published with Rymour Books

Homelands rightly proffers that there is more that unites us than divides.

Homelands is published with Canongate

CHITRA RAMASWAMY – HOMELANDS

Homelands: The History of a Friendship is both biography and autobiography, as Chitra Ramaswamy weaves together her own family’s story of migrating to the UK with that of her friend, Henry Wuga, who came to Glasgow as a teenage refugee escaping the horrors of Nazi Germany.

DAVID KEENAN – INDUSTRY OF MAGIC & LIGHT

Industry of Magic & Light is a prequel to the cult classic This is Memorial Device and, as with all his fiction, David Keenan is as interested in how a story is told as he is with as the story itself. Transporting us from Airdrie to Afghanistan, when taken as a whole Industry of Magic & Light is not just concerned with an alternative Airdrie, but alternative reality.

Industry of Magic & Light is published with White Rabbit Books

JAMES KELMAN – GOD’S TEETH AND OTHER PHENOMENA

The return of arguably Scotland’s greatest living writer is a reason for cheer, although it seemed to go widely unheralded. It’s a shame, as God’s Teeth and Other Phenomena is James Kelman at his most playful, recounting the trials and tribulations of an ageing author on the US university circuit, in what amounts to a thinly veiled portrayal of the great man himself.

God’s Teeth and Other Phenomena is published by PM Press White Rabbit

EVER DUNDAS – HELLSANS

Science fiction has rarely been as dystopian as in Ever Dundas’ novel HellSans. It mixes the classic sci-fi of Ray Bradbury with the body horror of David Cronenberg, but is so much more than a book of shock and ugh. Dundas is making a serious comment on our own society and the challenges many face.

HellSans is published by Angry Robot

PHILIP MILLER – THE GOLDENACRE

Philip Miller’s The Goldenacre breathed new life into Scottish crime fiction, moving out of the mean streets into the world of fine art and galleries, although the morality in these rarefied rooms is as reprehensible as in any dubious dive bar. Artful both in style and substance, Philip Miller has written a crime novel for those who think they don’t do crime.

The Goldenacre is published by Polygon Books

DILYS ROSE – SEA FRET

There were many excellent short story collections published in 2022, but Dilys Rose’s Sea Fret stood out, with stories that work both individually and with each other. Rose writes with an empathy and humanity that is rare, and Sea Fret is a reminder that great short stories deserve to not only be read, but rightly lauded.

Sea Fret is published by Scotland Street Press

SNACK SCOTTISH SINGLE

OF THE YEAR 2022

We've painstakingly whittled down a whole year of belting Scottish tunes into a mere top 20, which was no easy task and there is no doubt many an anthem absent from this list. Here we announce the SNACK Reader's Award – keep an eye on SNACK's socials (@snackmag) in December for the main SNACKSSY 2022 Writers' Award announcement'.

BEMZ - ZIDANE

Already picking up his fair share of attention due to a couple of high profile collabs and a genuine charismatic star quality, ‘Zidane’ felt like a level up for the Ayrshire rapper. An audacious swagger of a tune that pulls off the tricky balance of confident, honest and likeable.

Chris Queen

BITTER SUITE - ANYWHERE

With this, their debut, Bitter Suite popped out of nowhere and straight into the part of my consciousness where ‘the feels’ generally hibernate. It's the perfect pop song.

Eve Sutherland’s gorgeous half-spoken, halfsung west coast lilt should probably be UNESCO safeguarded on behalf of the people of Scotland and the chorus is spine-tingling in a way that only Class As can otherwise achieve. If you just want to feel something for three and a half minutes in your day then this could be your go-to – it’s incredibly addictive. What can I say: I’m delighted that the SNACK Readers’ Scottish Single of the Year for 2022 is also my own.

Kenny Lavelle

CLAIR - BODY BLOSSOM

CLAIR’s ‘Body Blossom’ takes ethereal to the next level. A sun-soaked, dew-dappled dream, listening to it you can practically feel the sun warming your eyelids, spiders making themselves at home in your arm hair, as your body becomes part of the environment.

Lara Delmage

CLOTH - LOW SUN

You often learn life's most valuable lessons in its quietest moments. Glasgow's Cloth are masters of understatement, and on the twinkling slow burn of ‘Low Sun’, hidden among ghostly harmonics and throbbing guitar, they offer up some of their sweetest musical and lyrical secrets. Just lean in close.

Craig Howieson

BECCI WALLACE – ORPHANS CONSCIOUS ROUTE, T3XTUR3,

With its subsoil clearing bass, haunting vocal from Becci Wallace and trombone by Chris Grieve, along with two perfectly poised contributions from T3xtur3 and Conscious Route, this collaboration might just shake your world.

Raising the alarm against submissive acceptance of the current and colonised future, the false promise of the streaming economy, and the exploitation of art for commercial profit – complete with a pausethe-bass, ‘are you hearing this?’ shot fired at some of music’s aristocracy – it’s a track that’s custom constructed by Wallace and the Novasounds team not to miss its marks.

Kenny Lavelle

DOPESICKFLY - RED LIGHT

Making a whole lot of noise for a four-piece, the Glasgow band have filled dancefloors and festival fields across the country with this irresistible slice of celebratory hip-hop infused funk, featuring smart lyrics, bubbling slap bass licks, and some genuinely impressive rollerblading.

Chris Queen

GOSSIPER - SINGLE BED

Crashing cymbals and dry snapping snares cut through the dreamy vocals like sharp lemon icing on a stodgy Victoria sponge. Flecks of guitar lift and drop the flavours whimsically throughout this shoegazey track.

Natalie Jayne Clark

JACK BROTHERHOOD -

HETERONORMATIVITY

The title is a mouthful, and fair play to the band for turning it into such a catchy refrain. The lyrics cast a wry eye over the tiresome sexual politics endured by singer Logan Stewart, all wrapped up in a catchy and bouncing manner.

Andy Reilly

Kicking off her gorgeous debut album As The Moonlight Melts, Josie Duncan’s ‘Be Around’ is an infectious, open-hearted piece of indie pop. Cushioned in a shimmery haze, Duncan’s sweet, clear vocals carry the track from its soft, ethereal opening right through to a propulsive final chorus.

Zoë White

JOSIE DUNCAN - BE AROUND HOW WELL YOU ARE KATHRYN JOSEPH -

'how well you are' bobs and weaves like a ship on choppy waters. The power of Kathryn Joseph's music lies in its quiet, understated delicacy: she can silence a room into hushed adoration when playing live, quietened by forensic tenderness.

Lorna Irvine

Image credit: Brian Sweeney

LIZZIE REID -

LOVE OF HER LIFE

Lizzie’s ‘Love of Her Life’ captures eerily well that feeling when you’d happily rip your skin off for your lover to wear if they were cold and you had nothing else to give them but yourself. Been there, Lizzie.

Lara Delmage

LLOYD’S HOUSE - HEATHER

A future foraging statement, ‘Heather’ both incorporates and transcends Lloyd’s House's bedroom tape beginnings. Allowing an intimate soul to pierce through swathes of electro-pop synth lines, in the song's third act, as Lloyd’s voice breaks amidst a torrent of distorted guitars, you find yourself lost in the debris of a smashed glitterball of pop-rock perfection.

Craig Howieson

MEGAN BLACK

- JUST FOR

FUN

‘Just For Fun’ is a beguiling potion, far more potent than what flows from your kitchen tap, offering a taste of the talent Megan displays. There’s an epic production, 70s-tinged guitar licks, and Megan issuing warnings amongst the frisson, adding up to an exciting rock and blues number that shows bigger is often best.

Andy Reilly

SMOKE AND SWEETS MIDNIGHT AMBULANCE -

Sustained dark-stained notes, eerie echoes, and thumping percussion beckon you into this charmingly dilapidated haunted house of a track. This is swiftly followed by cobwebby corridors of febrile verses, shadowy rooms of dirty rock riffs, and cold-fingered lyrics lingering long after.

Natalie Jayne Clark

Image credit: Ritchie Collins

POSTER PAINTS -

NEVER SAW IT COMING

It’s no exaggeration to say ‘Never Saw It Coming’ is as profound a meditation on the loss of a loved one as James Taylor’s ‘Fire and Rain’. The wonderfully open lyrics are shrouded in music of shimmering, otherworldly beauty; Carla J Easton’s vocal recalls Elizabeth Fraser as much as Cyndi Lauper. A triumph.

Martin Sandison

POST COAL PROM QUEEN

FREE RADIO PHOBOS

From its suspenseful glockenspiel introduction, through an increasingly wild violin passage, to the cacophonous saxophone-led conclusion, Post Coal Prom Queen’s Lily Higham and Gordon Johnstone pack so much colour, texture and energy into this turbulent three minutes of music.

Zoë White

DANCE YOURSELF FREE REBECCA VASMANT -

If jazz can be a bit insular, Vasmant pulled off the opposite with a welcoming and inclusive pretension-free joy; house keys and breakbeats anchoring Emilie’s blissful vocals and the cosmic sax from Harry Weir making the whole thing feel like the house party you wish you were invited to.

Chris Queen

SUSAN BEAR - MARIO GOLF 2

A cosy nest of grief that offers a comforting cuddle on your duvet days. If the title hasn’t already charmed you, then the satiny synth notes, fuzzy fulsome guitar, and velvety vocals will envelop you.

TEOSE - BIKINI

Combining an upbeat pop melody with a muscular guitar riff, TEOSE balance light and dark on their assertive 2022 single ‘Bikini’. The Glasgow trio bring a DIY garage-rock feel to this tune, breaking up the bright, catchy choruses with a noisy, blistering middle eight.

Zoë White

PIG FAT THE WIFE GUYS OF REDDIT -

Pig Fat is heavier than TWGoR’s other releases, with guitarist/vocalist Arion Xenos doing irreversible screaming damage to his vocal cords, while interspersed vocals from bassist Niamh MacPhail are a breathless relief. The track has roughly 450 stacked overdrive pedals on the guitar sound; a reminder that the most wonderful thing about TWGoR is that they’re the only ones.

McColgan

Natalie Jayne Clark

Stephen

SNACK BITS

We’re making a list; the editors are checking it twice. No, we’re not in the festive spirit, it’s just that sometimes with pressing deadlines, the quality of writing drops off. And with that nod to professionalism, you join us for the final SNACK Bits of 2022.

With a name like Brat Coven, you’d assume this Glasgow trio would be on our naughty list, but we’ve thoroughly enjoyed their releases to date. Given the whitewashing of prominent UK Government figures in recent weeks, shouts of ‘You let everybody die, you let everybody pile high’ is the most topical thing in this month’s issue. ‘Ready to Kill’ concludes with guttural screams but throughout, it volleys around with searing takes, punishing bass, and a passion we need to drag into 2023.

The controlled aggression throughout is impressive, and while this particular column talking about the flow of rappers should be accompanied with that Steve Buscemi meme, there’s no denying it’s a contagious track that draws you in. For us older folk, there’s a ‘mirror and razor blade’ reference full of Morning Glory, and Macy Gray gets a shout out. Anything that helps others see there is a path out of the darkness should always be encouraged, and it’s not going to come from the mouths of an older generation, so more power to acts like Kryptik, and again, let’s hope there is more of this next year.

Another track on the right side of where we want to be in society is ‘Sinner’ from Kryptik, with the Paisley-based artist pulling no punches on this drill track.

We’re not going to subject you to the ordeal of driving home for Christmas, but we recommend ‘Travel at Peak Time’ by Berta Kennedy. It’s a jazzy little number, perfectly showcasing the swinging 90s RnB-tinged feel of the vocals. This’ll be a good addition to any chilled playlists you have for the days you can’t face venturing outside the front door, a feeling often associated with the song’s title.

Kryptik

Berta Kennedy

Brat Coven

The driving theme continues with ‘The Motorway Song’ by Hanley and the Baird. The slightly trippy percussion could divert the song in a number of ways, but the melodies are pure Americana. Fittingly for that genre, the tale starts off in trouble before finding hope and redemption, alongside some sweet sections.

We also like the sneak peek of the forthcoming Air In The Lungs album. Due for release in spring of 2023, the group showcases Deborah Arnott, who you might remember from Blueflint.

That quirkiness aside, there’s a charming post-punk feel with danceable bass and an excited rush to the end. It came out in October, but if it's new to you, embrace it as fresh, and stay tuned for more.

The lead single, ‘Sweet Is The Dream’, is a pleasing folky number, which existing fans will appreciate immediately. However, album opener ‘You Didn’t Know’ moves through the gears impressively, and lays down a great marker for what is coming next. We’ll be listening.

The fast-moving nature of Bits (in thought, not physical exertion) means we sometimes miss songs, and we don’t have a chance to look back. As things are slightly more relaxed this month, we can squeeze in ‘People in Airports’ by Dinner At Night, and why not, seeing as Christmas Day is the only time of the year we have a full dinner in the middle of the afternoon.

‘ARMS’ from SIPHO. combines a lo-fi, almost trip-hop backing with impassioned vocals that ascend throughout the track. There’s also some stirring strings, ensuring there’s a climactic end. Eve Simpson’s ‘The Strangest Company’ wouldn’t be out of place on a Christmas TV advert based around the narrative of outsiders (eventually) finding warmth and comfort with others. The piano takes centre stage while Eve navigates the scales with confidence and clarity. Again, strings see us home, and if you can’t enjoy a joyful ending at this time of year, there’s no hope for you.

All being well, there should be a review of No Windows, and their Fishboy EP, elsewhere in the magazine. It’s great, and they’re playing live in Glasgow and Edinburgh this month. In the capital, there’s a headline show in Sneaky Pete’s on Thursday 15th December. In Glasgow, head to King Tuts on Monday 19th, when No Windows play alongside NewDad and Cloth, which should be a fantastic evening’s entertainment.

That will do us for this month. Have a great one whatever you do, and take the time to raise a glass to ‘Just Like Christmas’ by Low We’ll miss you, Mimi.

Photo credit: Benji Beacham

SIPHO

BIG GIRL JOB

We ate meaty poems the night I moved from the private to public sphere.

'A real big girl job', my father said, unaware I was not being paid for my visibility.

It took me two days to find the office and when I did, I instantly lost it.

On the seventh day, I went to get everyone iced lattes but got distracted by the video my cousin shared of her C-section. I wondered about her career choices.

cloudy days, when the office backed away into the darkness, I walked around the local gardens in search of some lunch. Oranges and half-drunk beer bottles presented themselves ro me. 'No need to hunt', I thought, 'not in my big girl job!' The poems HR gave us were stale by the end of the mandatory meeting and I had left my last sonnet at home. My boss slept with all of us to denounce favouritism, but I knew she found me to be the most productive. At the end of the fiscal year, we left our shoes at the door and bolted far into the night,

poems gushing from our mouths like bloody rats.

'That's my girl', they all said.