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Matt’s hair stood on end at King Tut’s
By Kevin Bridges
One of the most hotly-tipped of the up-and-coming Scottish bands is Parka.
They’re set to release their debut album, Attack Of The Hundred Yard
Hardmen, tomorrow and frontman Matt Thomson told me it’s a big moment for him.
“I was never really sure it would happen. I’ve made four ‘bedroom albums’ in the past, so it’s a nice feeling to know that I’ll be able to walk into a shop and see a copy of our album on the shelf,” he said.
Matt formed Parka after quitting a music course at Perth College to return to his home town of Glasgow at the end of 2004. He explained why.
“I have a very short attention span and I just got bored with the course — there wasn’t anything wrong with it.
“My friends and family were very supportive. I knew it was a career gamble as being in a band as a
full-time job puts you out on a limb, but I just thought I had to go for it.”
Dedicated following
The band soon started to amass a dedicated following in Scotland and Matt acknowledges that Scots audiences can be fiercely loyal to their own acts.
“It was great watching the word get out and seeing our names on fly posters around town. Then when we played King Tut’s and the crowd started singing the songs back to us it made our hair stand on end.
“Scotland may not be the biggest country, but it’s such a boost having that huge home support.”
There’s a lively mix of material on the new album — with a brace of electronic dance tracks, but also several goodtime pub singalong-style tracks . . . and even the occasional full-scale epic.
“We wanted to have a real variety on the record,” Matt explained. “It was great bringing in an eight-piece string section, a three-piece horn section and a grand piano for one track.
“When we’d finished recording that one everyone went quiet and it was just an awesome experience.”
Matt is thrilled with the album and proud of his vocals.
“I’ve always seen myself as more of a songwriter and never claimed to have an amazing voice. I think if I’d ever gone on
The X Factor or Pop Idol, I’d have been laughed at. When I’m singing my own songs, though, I can get the emotion into them and make them sound heartfelt.”
Making waves
The band have made such a good job of the album overall that they’re starting to make waves elsewhere already.
“One of the tracks, Hoxton Hair — which I wrote when we first moved to London — is getting a lot of play from a DJ in Los Angeles,” Matt revealed.
One of the tracks on the album features guest vocals from Saffron, formerly of Republica. Matt explained how that came about.
“We’d recorded the track DJ In The Corner and when we played it to our label they said they thought adding a female vocal would give the track a different angle.
“I’d always been a big fan of Republica when I was younger, so when someone suggested Saffron it seemed a great idea.
“She was pretty easy to get hold of and we’ve become huge friends. We talk to each other more or less every day. We keep the same hours, so she’ll often phone up for a chat at three or four in the morning!”
Celebration
The band are having a big launch for the album by playing at King Tut’s on Friday and hope to make it a real celebration.
“It’d be great to get Saffron up to sing with us on the night. It’s a real possibility,” he said.
The band are also playing Edinburgh College of Art on Thursday, Stirling’s McQ’s next Sunday and are looking forward to the Loch Lomond Festival on August 2.
They also have high hopes of playing T in the Park. “Playing festivals like that would be really upping our game — it would be such a special occasion for us,” Matt told me.
Well, how could anyone resist T in the Parka!
 For
more about the band, go to their official website at
parkamusic.com
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Madonna
Hard Candy
(Warner Brothers)
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The collaborations with the likes of Justin Timberlake on this seem to have inspired her once again as this is a delicious pop confection from start to finish.
With dance rhythms fizzing like sherbet and hooks that stick in your brain like gum, this is as poppy as she's been in years.
It seems that with Hard Candy Madonna’s proved that musically she’s still living in Quality Street.
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The Raconteurs
Consolers Of The Lonely
(XL)
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This has many thrilling moments and searingly impressive guitar work and superb production make the whole exercise intensely atmospheric.
With solid vocals and strong material, this is an extremely pleasurable collection that lingers in the memory.
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The Kooks
Konk
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Though singer Luke’s voice isn’t the most powerful or exciting, the band have the happy knack of being able to write great melodies, seemingly at will.
It’s almost impossible not to enjoy the musical skills demonstrated here and a solid future for the band seems pretty much guaranteed
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Was (Not Was)
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That said, there are a couple of severe lapses — such as the robotic disaster that is
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Sam Sparro
Sam Sparro
(Island)
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Sam has the happy knack of being a superbly successful pop magpie — stealing little bits of inspiration from a whole host of popular acts. So there’s a flash of Jamiroquai here, a hint of Pete Burns and Scissor Sisters there, a little bit of Prince now and again, and all put together in an effortless, professional manner.
There’s plenty of goodtime, foot-tapping music on offer here.
Gabriella Cilmi
Lessons To Be Learned
(Universal)
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The Envy Corps
Dwell
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Lovers of the best in indie rock will be thrilled by this.
I Am Kloot
Play Moolah Rouge
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