Stuart McHugh separates the wheat from the chaff in the landfill indie pile and sees the cream of new releases rise to the top in a sea of mixed metaphors. This edition of the is this music? Podcast includes a track from the brand new Emma Pollock album, and also a tune from Burnt Island amongst much more.

Those two come together (alongside Josh Pike) at Glasgow’s King Tut’s on Friday 19 March. Burnt Island’s mini-album Music and Maths is launched at Glasgow’s Mono on Sunday 7 March with appearances by Aidan Moffat, Second Hand Marching Band and Benni Hemm Hemm. Also up this time round, the latest from Stow College’s Electric Honey signings Woodenbox With A Fistful of Fivers and Warp Record’s Gonja Sufi.

Tracklist

1. Emma Pollock – Red Orange Green – Chemikal Underground
2. The Paraffins – Something Good – Ear Spook
3. Burnt Island – Music and Maths – Chaffinch
4. Gonja Sufi – Ancestors – Warp
5. Pensioner – Goodbye Tension Hello Pension – self-released
6. Serena Maneesh – Reprobate – 4AD
7. Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers - Besides The Point – Electric Honey
8. Streets of Rage – untitled – unlabeled
9. The Wildhouse – Ficca – 17seconds
10. Scott MacDonald – Tabla Alba – www.scott-macdonald.com
11. Marble Valley – Artificial Pistols – Sea

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Stuart McHugh delves into the bulging itm? sack to find new and forthcoming releases from among others Efterklang, Panda Su and Errors. Listen in.

There’s also a track from The Unwinding Hours, the band formed from the ashes of Aereogramme, and who, following a debut at the Chemilal Underground 15th Annniversary party, have their debut headline show at Glasgow’s Stereo on the Friday 5 March.

Tracklist

1. Charlotte Gainsborough – Trick Pony – Because
2. Mascot Fight – Trawler (Losers Can’t Be Choosers EP) – Casette County
3. Panda Su – Eric is Dead – Peter Panda
4. Quasi – Repulsion – Domino
5. The Unwinding Hours – Tightrope – Chemikal Underground
6. Viv Albertine – Never Come – Ecstatic Peace
7. Shearwater – Black Eyes – Matador
8. Frightened Rabbit – Living In Colour – Fat Cat
9. Efterklang – Raincoats – 4AD
10. Errors – Antipode – Rock Action

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Though apart from the Amphetameanies single from December and a [Future] King of Scotland track from possibly several years ago, there’s new material from among others, Super Adventure Club and Fake Tan’s first release in five years.

Super Adventure Club launch their single at Glasgow’s Nice’n'Sleazy venue on Thursday 4 February. They also launch their album on Thursday 25 March and an Edinburgh show follows on the 28th. Is This Music? predict big things from the trio. Enjoy the show.

Tracklist

1. Fake Tan – Patty – Pieces
2. The Amphetameanies – Good One Go
3. The Magickal Folk of the Faraway Tree – The Blackthorn Tree – Autumn Ferment
4. Super Adventure Club – SAC Attack – Armellodie
5. Oh No No – Eleanor – Leaf label
6. The [Future] King of Scotland – You Me It’s Love – Lo-fi or What?
7. RM Hubbert – For Maria
8. Indian Red Lopez – Castles Incomplete – Cease/Stop
9. First Aid Kit – In The Morning – Wichita

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Have a look at the video for the MJ Hibbett tune Stuart mentions here.

And check out is this music? which is currently rounding up the year and decade with a series of top tens from its writers, musing over the Xmas number one. Also features with Frightened Rabbit and Burnt Island.

Tracklist

1. Manchester Orchestra – Shake It Out (Columbia)
2. St Jude’s Infirmary – Home Made Christmas Card (manicpopthrills.wordpress.com)
3. Cast of the Capital – Comiston Springs (Kittiwake)
4. Half Man Half Biscuit – It’s Cliched To Be Cynical At Christmas (Probe Plus)
5. Seventeenth Century – Notes EP (Lo-five)
6. El Dog – Let It Snow (Lo-five)
7. Paul Haig – Horses (RoL)
8. Dickies – Silent Night (A&M)
9. Sweeney Straddes The Sun – Carried Away By Melody (Boffo Bear)
10. Arab Strap – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (white label)

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Stuart McHugh brings more from Isthismusic’s mailbox, which to coincide with Scotland’s national St Andrew’s Day, includes a hearty and wholesome mixture of music from round the world and, believe it or not, some from Scotland! This week, TuneYards, Withered Hand, and from the vinyl vault, Jane Bond and more.

Frightened Rabbit, who following their recent Tune Up Tour of Scotland (with gigs in Aberdeen and Inverness) head out around the UK as support to Modest Mouse also feature with this installment.

Check out Stuart’s Isthismusic? website which has new content in the shape of former Josef K legend Paul Haig in conversation about his excellent new LP, as well as reviews of Mariachi El Bronx, Manchester Orchestra, Do Make Say Think, Julian Casablancas, Pumajaw, Panda Su and The Fall. We like it and think you might too.

Tracklist

1. Sennen – Destroy Us – Hungry Audio
2. MJ Hibbett – My Boss Was In An Indie Band Once – AAS
3. TuneYards – Hatari – 4AD
4. Frightened Rabbit – Fun Stuff – Fat Cat
5. Gaunt Story – The Lights In This Town Are Faded
6. Los Campesinos – There Are Listed Buildings – Wichita
7. Withered Hand – Takeaway Food – Golden Hour
8. Night Noise Team – Menolick – Permwhale
9. Jane Bond and the Undercover Men – I Made Love To A Communist
10. Eagleowl – Sleep The Winter – Kilter

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Stuart McHugh is back with the latest installment of new release show,  Is This Music? Episode 6 features Little Kicks, SAY, Simian Mobile Disco and more.

Is this music? continues to work through the promo backlog but hopefully manages to introduce listeners to unheard-of music, sourced from the four corners of the globe (including the USA, France, Wales, and, er, Berwick.) Following complaints of untoward ‘tweeness’, this week we’ve gone for some light and shade, where jangle and harmonies contrast with unearthly, other-worldly sounds.

Pictured above, Francois is performing at Mono, Glasgow as part of a Fence Records spectacular this evening launching his new album alongside support from Fence Collective favourites. Tuesday 17 November. We highly recommend this.

Check out Stuart’s Is This Music? website for loads of Scottish musical goodies. A Camera Obscura competition, Teenage Fanclub interview and a whole world of exploration awaits you there. We highly recommend this too.

Tracklist

1. TFC
2. Simian Mobile Disco – Cream Dream
3. Won Mississippi – Ruin
4. Tender Trap – Fireworks
5. Teitur – You’re The Ocean
6. Tabasco Fiasco – Internet Access
7. Francois & the Atlas Mountains – Remind
8. Little Kicks- Time To Take Over
9. Tom Hingley – Waiting For the Walls to Come Down
10. SAY – Mediarise
11. Strike The Colours – Breathing Exercise
12. Converge – Dark Horse

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Every week we’ll be featuring the best new releases (and the occasionally oldie) arriving in the Is This Music? office on Radio Magnetic. Welcome back Stuart!

Tracklist

1. Saint Jude’s Infirmary – Little Sparta
2. The Stupids – Remember Me Dismember You
3. Ex-Lion Tamer – Neon Hearts
4. The Twilight Sad – Floorboards Under the Bed
5. Fanfarlo – I’m A Pilot
6. Money Can’t Buy Music – We Will All Asphyxiate
7. The Raincoats – Fairytale In The Supermarket
8. Meursault – William Henry Miller part 1

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Stuart McHugh is back in the studio for yet another quality selection of brand new music as well as an oldie or two.

There’s a little tribute to the legendary John Martyn in this one as well as some quality new tracks from The Twilight Sad, Aloha Hawaii and Smackvan (good name!).

Remember to keep checking isthismusic.com for the inside story on Scottish music.

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Tracklist

• Smackvan - 4am – Sans-Culottes
• BPA & Iggy Pop - He’s Frank (Slight Return) – Southern Fried
• John Martyn – Strange Fruit – Independiente
• The Twilight Sad – 24 Hours – Fat Cat
• Falkland Hill Yaks – Why Hawaii – white label / Oxfam Music
• Bourgie Bourgie – Breaking Point – MCA
• sixpeopleaway - if.then.else – SPA
• Thomas Truax – Joe Meek Warns Buddy Holly – SL
• James Reid - Tales Between The Tides – Autumn Ferment
• Aloha Hawaii – Towns On The Moon – Chemikal Underground
• Le Reno Amps – Outlaws – Drift

Stuart McHugh gets to grips with studio one, ensuring that he plays the French Quarter because they might be indie deities in the distant future…

Admitting that the show is a self-indulgent shameless plug for Is This Music?, Stuart should learn to be less modest as he plays indie delights from last year and a few digital promos which he has managed to remember the names of for the tracklist.

Broadcasting from the heart of Radio Magnetic, Stuarts enjoys the freedom of playing some sweary music including Future of the Left’s F*ck the Countryside Alliance.

Drop by isthismusic.com to read about their return to live music at The Goat, an interview with the 2nd Hand Marching Band , and the Is This Music? 2008 poll.

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Tracklist

1. Findo Gask - One Eight Zero – Angular
2. The Phantom Band – Folksong Oblivion – Chemikal Underground
3. The New Year – Company I Can Get – Touch & Go
4. Popup – Dreams Like These – Art Goes Pop/91
5. Kid Canaveral – Don’t Have The Heart For This – Straight to Video
6. Future of the Left - F*ck the Countryside Alliance – Too Pure
7. Eagleowl – Mf – Song By Toad
8. Loss Leader – Hope Was Never Here (?) – Predestination
9. Phil Wilson – Neon Lights – Slumberland
10. We Were Promised Jetpacks – Moving Clocks Run Slow – demo
11. Ballboy – Empty Throat – Pony Proof
12. Cruiser – You+Me+Ever – KFM
13. The French Quarter – Time To Leave – Gilgongo

After being recorded, sent, laptop death, sent again, lost, uploaded, deleted, sent and then finally encoded it’s no wonder that the last Is This Music? show to appear on Radio Magnetic was way back in March this year.

Thankfully after a healthy amount of computer frustration we can joyfully present to you Episode 3 of Is This Music? presented by none other than ITM? head honcho Stuart McHugh. The tracklist for this show is an absolute belter with musical gems from the likes of Efterklang, Bearsuit, Holy Fuck and Port Sulphur.

Make sure to check out IsThisMusic.com for all your Scottish musical needs including a tour blog from current indie stars Glasvegas, exclusive Vaselines news and a competition for Glasgow micro festival ‘Hey You Get Off My Pavement’.

Let’s hope the next episode goes a bit smoother.

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Tracklist

1. Broken Records – If The News Makes You Sad – Young Turks
2. Tindersticks - Yesterdays Tomorrows – Beggars
3. Efterklang - Caravan – Leaf
4. Shooting at Unarmed Men – Sailing Keeps You Safe – Too Pure
5. Bearsuit - Foxy Boxer – Fantastic Plastic
6. The Poems – I Am a Believer – Minty Fresh
7. Scaramanga 6 – Walking Through Walls – Wrath
8. Isoceles - Kitch Bitch – Art Goes Pop
9. Minus - Cats Eyes – One Little Indian
10. MJ Hibbett – Do The Indie Kid – AAS
11. Last Harbour - Out Back -Little Red Rabbit
12. Holy Fuck – Lovely Alien – Young Turks
13. Visitors - Moth – Deep Cuts
14. Port Sulphur – Discord – Aufgeladen und Bereit