This month’s podcast: The Vaselines, Jason Lytle (of Grandaddy), Grizzly Bear and Meursault.
By Milo | May 4, 2009
Yep, it’s podcast time again and this month is jam-packed full of damn fine music kicking off with a golden oldie from The Vaselines. Seeing as I’ve got a bit of man flu (nothing to do with swine, honest), I’ve spared you my nasal delivery and have instead been replaced by a hot killer robot, partly because I had just watched the season finale to The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and partly because of my mounting excitement for the new Terminator Salvation film which may or may not be any good..
But don’t worry the humans haven’t completely lost (yet) as we also have an entertaining wee interview from Matthew aka Mr Toad of Song By Toad Records which has just released an excellent acoustic EP by Meursault from which we’ve included the track William Henry Miller Part 1.
Matthew, who must never sleep given the amount he seems to get done, has just written a damn fine interview with Jason Lytle for this month’s issue of The Skinny, and the issue also has interviews with The Vaselines and Grizzly Bear (a UK exclusive, apparently). So make sure you check it out, either online or in various locations around Scotland (once you’ve listened to the podcast obviously).
Finally, please Subscribe in iTunes and if you like what you hear please leave a review, we picked up another nice one from the lovely GangreenOwl recently 
Come May we ought to be preparing ourselves for four months of long hot days lounging about in beer gardens in a sun-drenched reverie, complemented by Grease-style summer nights of holiday romances and other such debauchery. However given the unpredictability of the typical Scottish summer it might be best to rely more heavily on decent music – and this month’s podcast features just the right mix of slightly off-kilter summery indie pop with a dash of folky goodness thrown in for when the heat gets too much and you need to cool off in the shade.
The Vaselines – Son of a Gun
Classic songwriting genius from Glasgow but it took a certain Seattle band to bring them to most people’s attention. First released back in the 80s, it’s rare that a re-release makes this column but this is still instantly thrilling in the way that only a perfect pop song can be.
Jason Lytle – Brand New Sun/Flying Thru Canyons
Y’know when I told you Grandaddy had gone to “a better place” and wasn’t coming back no more? Well he’s back. Ok, he’s not quite the same Grandaddy you used to know, he’s more sprightly, carrying less weight, and though he has a haunted look in his eyes he’s finally got his shit sorted. He gives you a big, comforting hug and he smells of tobacco and polo mints just like he always used to.
Meursault – William Henry Miller Part 1
There are a few William Henry Miller’s on Wikipedia. Which one of them, if any, this song is about will hopefully be revealed on the podcast, when we chat to Matthew of Song By Toad Records, who has signed this bloody excellent Edinburgh band. They’re perhaps better known for their blistering electronica-based live sets but here they excel in the acoustic realm with impassioned vocals, banjo, handclaps and harmonies.
Grizzly Bear – Cheerleader
Not to be confused with Grizzly Man, whose love for big furry not so cuddly real-life teddies was perhaps taken a tad too far resulting in his and his girlfriend’s untimely death. No, Grizzly Bear are in fact a highly-rated band from Brooklyn. And Cheerleader is nothing to do with the jailbait out of Heroes – it’s a blissed out indie-animal, lumbering about a peaceful mountain forest full of honey-laden beehives.
4 Comments
Tart on 04/05/2009 at 6:45 pm.
Lovely podcast! Can’t believe I haven’t tuned in before now, shame on me, obviously to my detriment. I keep hearing this Grizzly Bear stuff here and there and I’ve had enough to make me downright curious enough to go get some, so I think you’ve pushed me over the edge, sir. Thanks! And your handling of Matthew was wonderfully done as well. Although I’m still waiting for the definitive version of how he and Meursault stumbled upon one another (in a dark alley, I’m guessing) haha. xoxo
Milo on 04/05/2009 at 8:06 pm.
Why thank you Tart! Perhaps its lucky you started with the one I say very little on
Glad you liked the Grizzly Bear track, I recommend their album Yellow House too, very nice and chilled out.
Ha ha, he is indeed a formidable interviewee, but it was all surprisingly lucid given the fact it was half past beer already!
Matthew on 05/05/2009 at 9:34 am.
Thanks Milo, top job. I am NOT a formidable interviewee either, I just tend to leave the poor editor with a lot of work because I talk too much.
Tart, the definitive version is very, very mundane. I found them on MySpace, just randomly clicking links, then went to see them at Trampoline, which also the first time I spoke to Euan and Bart properly. Then I went to their album launch at Henry’s and wrote a very complimentary review of it, then invited them to do a Toad Session. By the time we had finished the Toad Session Neil had suggested doing a full re-release of the album on Song, by Toad Records.
See, not very exciting.
Milo on 05/05/2009 at 9:50 am.
Of course not Matthew, that was said purely in jest, and there was no need for editing at all on this occasion
Maybe the details of the historic meeting should have been left a mystery though or at least saved for the Toad memoirs!