Zed Penguin/Magic Eye/Plastic Animals/Le Thug – Song, by Toad split 12″

If you like any of these the next step is probably to buy some beer. For the remaining songs from the sessions for this record are being released as a download code on a 4-pack of limited run microbrews. Mmm, beer. By Toad.

If you like any of these the next step is probably to buy some beer. For the remaining songs from the sessions for this record are being released as a download code on a 4-pack of limited run microbrews. Mmm, beer. By Toad.

(Song, By Toad)

Bands might no longer really need record labels to get their music out in a form people can listen to, but that just means that other traditional function of the small indie is more pertinent than ever. Even more so than a favourite blog or, erm, reviews site their role as curators who put their money where their heart is can direct you towards a steady stream of goodness. With so much musical goodness coming out of Scotland at the moment Song, by Toad do a just such a job, shining a light on to some of the less justly overlooked smaller bands (An Eagle To Saturn by The Leg is still on fairly heavy rotation in the northern outpost of Incendiary AND Soundsxp towers).

This ‘split 12”’ (8 tracks at 33rpm clocking in at over 40 mins makes it a compilation album in my book) showcases four such bands who share a certain post-mbv and Cocteaus blissed out charm. Take the plunge and one band at least is likely to provoke further investigation. Magic Eye chime and chirp in a lovely way. Plastic Animals’ build two tracks build the most energetic sound, Sheltered in particular rising in an intriguing and layered way over burbling electronica. You can’t help feeling they’d work better as instrumentals though. Le Thug could easily be dismissed as mbv copyists – there’s certainly a strong resemblance in their slow building atmospheric. But New Balance has a clarity of vocal and genuinely uplifting sunrise melody line to bring you back to it over and again. Favourites in these parts though are Zed Penguin. Their two direct and fairly simple contributions hold many of the same bruisedly and uncertainly melodic attractions as the wonderful UNPOC – albeit with a rather more abrasive edge akin to the aforementioned Leg. With Tom Bauchop seemingly unlikely to do much to follow up Fifth Column, it’s a real joy to discover someone else in a similar class.

If you like any of these the next step is probably to buy some beer. For the remaining songs from the sessions for this record are being released as a download code on a 4-pack of limited run microbrews. Mmm, beer. By Toad.

 
The article stumbled over from www.soundsxp.com.