More AdultAlternative.co.uk session videos

A further song from Katey Brooks - Grateful Rain

And one from my son, playing an Andy Hull/ Manchester Orchestra son, Where Have You Been

Katey Brooks

Katey has one of the most impressive voices I have ever heard live. Goodness knows where it comes from, but it would be impossible to hear it and not be shocked.

At the session, she debuted a new song, so new it doesn't yet have a title:

One more: Found

Kilto Take

Kilto Take are the first band to be signed to Medical Records/ 4 The Record Management, alongside singer/ songwriter Katey Brooks. They will be, without doubt, huge...

They played their first acoustic session for a Medical Records showcase.

Wake In The Lie

Holding The Enemy

Fallen

Tainted States

Morning Benders

This band make wonderfully fresh, loose-limbed music. 

Have a listen to/ download two tracks from their debut: Crosseyed, and Boarded Doors.

Centro-matic, South San Gabriel

It would be hard to overstate my liking for this band (well, these bands, if I'm being strict). Downloaded the new Dual Hawks album from iTunes this morning, and I'm revelling in some new Will Johnson music...

So nice to hear the two bands on the same album. Will post more thoughts in time...

Head here to hear I, The Kite from the Centro-matic side of the album, Trust To Lose from the SSG side, or, even better, here to go straight to iTunes to download the whole album.

Lou Barlow

I could try to be all grown-up about this, but occasionally I hear a song that I fall for in a big way...

I missed Lou Barlow's Mirror The Eye EP when it came out last year. And I deeply regret that now - it's not uniformly great, but one track, Yawning Blue Messiah, has become this month's Serpentine for me - I can't repeat it fast enough...

Colour Revolt

Really enjoying the debut by this band (and thanks to Manchester Orchestra for the tip). I'd describe it (in that 'x meets y' way that seems to upset half of everyone, and please the other half - so here we go my 'other half') as Queens of the Stone Age meets Pavement. But probably more than that...

Judge for yourself: here is the first track on the disc, Naked and Red. And A Siren...

MP3s of the week

I still find it astonishing that there is so much great music available for free - even if you're not some pikey music thief...

My two favourite tracks of the week are both available direct from the artists:

Thao - Swimming Pools

School of Language - Rockist part 1

Frightened Rabbit

Frightened Rabbit's first album, Sing The Greys, was a great start. But, the track released from their follow up (Modern Leper) has me looking forward to their second immensely. Have a listen (and download)...  I love the bit where the drum starts...

Land of Talk

I still miss Jen Trynin. She's still with us and seems happy, if her site's up to date... She was an amazing female songwriter, with an incredible ability to make a song rock hard. But, she stopped recording.

So, I've missed a female-fronted band to get excited about for a while - I though Gemma Hayes was going to get there, but her record company seemed to mishandle her (or, her PR company suck... Actually, that is more likely to be true - all my dealings with them suggest that they do, indeed, suck.). Belly, Letters to Cleo, even the Cardigans (in their occasional highlight)...

That brings me to Land of Talk, whose Sea Foam on One Little Indian's sampler (from Applause Cheer Boo Hiss) was the standout track. I don't know much about them, except that they come from Montreal. This track, Speak To Me Bones, is also a great intro...

I hope to find out more.

Chris Bathgate

I listen to about 300 full albums every year and thousands of songs by new bands, so it is rare that one leaps out and commands the kind of attention that makes you immediately go find (and buy) the back catalogue. Chris Bathgate managed that with the opening track of his new album A Cork Tale Wake - Serpentine. I wish that was available as an mp3... It's not clever, it's not especially new, but it is one of the most haunting songs I've heard in an age.

As I can't offer Serpentine, I can only recommend that you go buy it.

Here's another outstanding Chris Bathgate track, however, buffalo girl, from his previous album, throatsleep.

Kevin McDermott

Kevin McDermott is a friend of mine. Let me start with that preface... I like the chap immensely, and like his music an awful lot... I hope that I'll be able to get an Adult Alternative video session with him soon... Because, well, after some long time away, he's released an excellent album of new stuff, which is really exciting.

Here's my review:

Kevin McDermott, Wise To The Fade

Kevin McDermott is, simply, Glasgow's finest singer-songwriter. Which, when you think about the competition from that fair city (Travis, Franz Ferdinand, Belle and Sebastian, Snow Patrol), Dogs Die In Hot Cars, and Teenage Fanclub to cite but a few), makes him something special - like Bob Dylan sung by Robbie Williams (but in a good way...), his songs seem at once like old eloquent storytelling friends and like the best new thing you've heard in a long time - anthemic, melodic songs that fit like your best mates after 2 pints in the local. Wise To The Fade is a return to the studio for the first time since 1997's For Those In Peril From The Sea, and a welcome return it is. This is Scotland's best singer-songwriter's best set of songs in a long while - as witty, articulate, and intensely melodic as ever, and with the unshackled feel of his second album - Bedazzled. If there's a criticism, it is perhaps that the McDermott humour dial is cranked up a touch too much. But when an album closes with songs as strong as September Songs (among his best ever – think Robbie Williams’ Angels, but cooler) and the quiet, elegiac Voices, that's a minor nitpick. If there's a precedent, it is to 1991's Bedazzled, McDermott's follow-up to his Island debut - Wise To The Fade opens the album like Hole In The Ground opens its predecessor, with a drum assault bang and a statement of intent, followed by songs that excite and affect at turns. Remarkably, Kevin McDermott's best work is done live, and this long-overdue return to the studio hopefully signals a revitalized touring schedule.

There is a BBC Radio session here. Or you could have a listen at his MySpace page. Or, you can head over to iTunes and buy it right now...