I Hear a New Year World - January, 2009

Ish Marquez - Pipe Dream Memories

I can't imagine a better track to kick off 2009 with. The New York musician is an unbelievable guitarist who totally blew the audience's mind when he played a gig with Jeffrey Lewis, Stanley Brinks and Withered Hand at Edinburgh's Henry's Cellar Bar at the end of last year. He's ended up a part of the anti-folk scene more by his NYC location than sound, his tunes funky and soulful twists on guitar virtuosity that should really see him become a massive star. Damn it, you've just got to get up and dance to this track from his Goin' Thru album, currently only available at his gigs (but you can hear it on this month's podcast of course).

Sellotape – My Left Tit

Viki Sellotape has been described as Scotland’s answer to Mark E Smith due to her single-minded musical vision, inspired by the likes of X-ray Spex and Siouxsie Sioux. But given that her live performances consist of her strutting around the stage in tiny hotpants, I know who’d I’d rather spend quality time with, and it's not the gnome-faced old Manc, genius though he is. Along with her bandmates, let her stamp you under her foot like a spurned lover with this seething sexually charged put-down.

A-Lix – I Know a Man

A-Lix know a man. But then doesn’t everybody? What most people don’t know though, is that A-Lix are really rather good. A truly international band based in Glasgow, including members of French and Argentinian origin. As pop as they are post-punk (some call it death disco), they wield their guitars like automatic rifles on this blistering, swaggering beast of a tune from their album Never Grow.

White Heath –When The Watchmen Leave Their Stations

You know you're in for a treat right away when a big feckin' tuba kicks in, but just wait for the chorus when it all comes together in a swinging, serenading New Orleans march through the streets then onto a boat down the Mississippi river of lovestruck majesty. One of the highlights at the recent songbytoad.com Christmas party held at the brilliant new Edinburgh venue The Bowery, this is an early mix of the song, with an even better version promised soon.