ACOUSTICA
ASTRID WILLIAMSON AND AMY RIGBY Laurie’s Bar, Glasgow, Wed 14 Jul; Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh, Thu 15 Jul
Astrid Williamson gets mixed up
‘It’ll be intimate - very unplugged, put it that way.’ Former Goya Dress frontwoman Astrid Willliamson is bringing her earthy acoustica to life for these Scottish dates, following the success of her recent, self- titled second album. ‘The record’s been doing really well,’ she says. ‘I was almost surprised when we needed to get a second pressing done.’ The Shetland-born singer also set up her own label, Incarnation Records, to do so and, having been in the industry for years, is enjoying her independence. ‘Before, I’d always have to be thinking about whether something would be good for my image. Now I think the point is that I do things that are
meaningful to me and a bit more concentrated on what’s important.’ But she’s found that being her own
boss is not without its challenges. ‘There are just so many things to think about that I wasn’t really aware of before, especially marketing. It’s like putting on six different hats at once - each one does
something different, and you have to remember which one is which.’
While the forthcoming gigs will be in the stripped down style of her recent album, there will be an equal emphasis on her higher tech first solo venture Boy For You.
‘I kind of mix it up really. The best thing to do, I think, is play your best stuff and please yourself. There was a hidden acoustic track on the first album which a lot of people picked up on, so that made me think when it came to the second one.’ But she’s open to suggestions. ‘If people request certain songs, then I’ll be happy to play them.’
Known to pack a subtle but powerful lyrical punch, she’ll be joining forces with Amy Rigby, a Pittsburgh-born songstress with a similarly honest approach to her craft. Compared to Elvis Costello and Carole King, she was awarded the Songwriter of the Year accolade by Spin magazine and has won critical acclaim for her three solo albums. The latest of these, Til the Wheels Fall Off, was released last year and was recorded in Nashville and New York. (Emma Newlands)
EXPOSURE
fifty *1 H
Adequate Seven in the house
Who? Four up and coming punk/hardcore bands. Captain Everythingl, Adequate Seven. Da Skywalkers and the Foarners who form part of the Household Names roster. have been chosen espeCially to play for the delectation of frenetic guitar music- Ioving fans in Glasgow and Edinburgh. It forms part of the 'Breeding Disloyalty' summer tow and serves as a taster for the rest of what the label has to offer. Hardcore-loving Harry: Hey. stop
sticking safety pins in yourself for a minute and look at this great line— up of Household Name bands coming to Scotland. Punk-obsessed Pete: Only if yOu'II put down that bleeding rucksack. Right then. What's this all about. I‘ve never hearo of any of them.
H-LH: Oh don't be so unadventurous. Look at John LydOn. he went into the jungle so surely you can take a risk on this. and anyway I've heard a couple of tracks and the bands are brilliant. Adequate Seven mix ska with slap bass and gravely vocals. the Foamers are straightforward shouty fast-paced punk with a deranged edge. Captain Everything! have an anthemic chugging riffs-propelled kinda sound and Da Skywalkers are brain bludgeoning l0ud fuzzmongers. So you see. there's something for everyone.
P-OP: Oh, I don't know, I want to save up to buy an Avril Lavigne
ticket you know . . .
H-LH: Don't be Such a scaredy- punk. It only costs six quid. which is great for four bands and yOu can count on the fact it'll be a great live show. It‘s a 38-date tour so they'll certainly have had the practice. P-OP: Hmm, well I was going to comb my mohawk that day but I Suppose I can do it another time.
l-l-LH: Of c0urse you can. Besides.
what other chance are you going to get to catch a bunch of bands all on one night before they're big? P-OP: Yeah, you‘re right. but I only listen to underground acts anyway. I can't bear it when they're tOuched by the evil corporate hand and tarnished forever. Anyway. all this music chat is making me thirsty. Fancy a Starbucks? (Camilla Pia)
I King Tut's, Glasgow, Wed 74 Jul; Studio 24, Edinburgh, Thu 75 Jul. The album Breeding Dis/oyalty — Campfire Songs for the Disruptive Element is out at the end of July.
Music
FOLK ELEANOR MCEVOY Edinburgh Folk Club, Wed 14 Jul
The ‘Best International Female Performer‘ gong at the Irish World Newspaper Awards this year went to Eleanor McEvoy. She can set the trophy on her sideboard alongside the Hi-li+ ‘Album of the Year 2002' award for Yo/a. the very high-tech quality CD she co-produced with her keyboard player and accompanist par excellence Brian Connor, and released on her own Blue Dandelion label. ‘Beautiful songs beautifully sung‘ the jurors agreed. ‘And captured in a superb DSD recording that finally reveals the true potential of the Super Audio CD format. Ms McEvoy‘s emotive material, emphatic delivery and clear voice are the perfect ingredients for universal appeal. making this just the disc to expose hi- bit recordings to a wider non- audiophile audience.‘
Heartbreaker McEvoy
So the anoraks loved her — but what about the rest of us? Well, you would have to have been in a cave for the last decade to have avoided A Woman '3 Heart. Released by Dara Records in 1992 the compilation became the most successful Irish album ever, kicking off the women's compilation trend and eventually selling more than 700.000 copies worldwide. And guess who wrote the title track?
A childhood passion for piano and violin took her on to an hon0urs degree at Trinity College. Dublin and years of experience playing in the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. before finally quitting to pursue her great dream — of being a professional songwriter. McEvoy's own compositions can tackle politics. sex. love and religion. and be tOuching and funny; but she can also work in some interpretations of Chuck Berry. Bert Jansch or anyone else who can pen a good lyric — while in arranger and accompanist Brian Connor she's got one of the most eclectic. wide- ranging musical explorers ar0und — a man who knows his idioms and can play with them. (Norman Chalmers)
8-22 Jul 2004 THE LIST 47