Yoss

I don't know the Big Star album but I've just made a mental note never to listen to it. Thanks.

I've heard that said before about Jacklin, but as I said I only saw her for a few minutes and wasn't paying enough attention. Dacus I like a lot, but then it was maybe my album of the year last year so it was great to hear it done with the immediacy of the live performance. I agree she's not particularly spontaneous, but I don't agree that it didn't add anything to the record. For me, anyhow.

Most venues are pretty strict about finishing times these days, so most likely an early start. Sorry to be missing this one, anyhow. Saw a few minutes of her at End of the Road the other year, but wasn't paying as much attention as I should have. Really like the new album but this gig has been sold out for ages. On the plus side, Lucy Dacus has announced an Edinburgh gig for June. And Gazelle Twin has been added to this year's End of the Road line-up. Both of which bits of news have cheered me up.

Boney M (Rasputin, obv)

Pet Sounds Astral Weeks

I joined the spirit of the thread by putting Beck's Odelay on at the weekend. Glad I did, too, sounded great. (I got two turntables and a microphone ...) Currently playing Scott Walker (RIP), though both Scott 3 and Scott 4 are albums I've still listened to from time to time over the years anyway.

As far as Blur goes, the only album I ever really listened to was the one before that, the one with Beetlebum and Song 2 on it.

I remember as a kid there was a documentary on telly about the twentieth anniversary of Sergeant Pepper (called, unsurprisingly "It was twenty years ago today"). And it seemed like discussing ancient history. But then you see lists of albums that are twenty years old now and it's like woah, you're shitting me.

Not sure if it helps to think of them as songs.

Yeah, looking forward to Pip Blom as well, enjoyed their gig at Sneaky Pete's last year. Karen O & Danger Mouse is worth listening to, of this week's releases.

How was Mike Krol? Know nothing about him but his new album is okay and I see he's playing Glasgow in a bit. Black Midi I've already seen but interested to know how they went down over there.

I'm not one of the big HMHB fanboys, but I saw them last time they were at the Liquid Rooms (three years ago, maybe?) and it was a thoroughly entertaining gig.

I'm going to Howlin' Fling this year. Anyone ever been? The Isle of Eigg is not quite Austin, Texas I grant you. But then Austin, Texas is not quite the Isle of Eigg.

Jacklin's album is a step up from her first, I like it. Donnelly's previous EP was so good that the album was always going to struggle to live up to it - and I'd still recommend newcomers to start with the EP but I'm liking the album too. Lyrically it's great, and sometimes that's just as hard-hitting for being put in a catchy pop song (Watching Telly, for example). Almost all my favourite music so far this year has been from women - beside those two we've had good albums from Jessica Pratt and Tiny Ruins, and you could also add in Sharon van Etten, Self Esteem and female-fronted bands like Calva Louise and Cherry Glazerr. Also looking forward to Aldous Harding's album - love the first single.

If you'd booked a private coach the driver could make their own judgement about the best / quickest route on the day, but the majority of people bussing it were using the scheduled services for which the routes were mandated beforehand. Some years that did indeed involve significant queues. (Some years it wasn't so bad.)

Thing is, TitP - being a full weekend event with the camping and everything that goes with it - it was as much a social event and you'd get a lot more people just going every year for the craic, regardless of who was playing. TRNSMT doesn't have that in the same way, it's more a series of stadium gigs and you'd think demand is likely to depend more heavily on the line-up. The social media backlash of the past couple of days might not reflect the final verdict - maybe they'll reach out to new audiences. But if it does, things could go pear-shaped for them much more quickly.

Yeah, though they'd been kicking around for quite a while before that. They are indeed ... interesting. I totally respect what they're doing, messing around, experimenting with stuff and seeing what comes out, and I'm interested to see where it's going to lead them. But inevitably the results in the meantime are a bit patchy. They've done the odd thing I've really liked, but it's hit and miss - and probably more miss than hit at the moment.

Estrons gigs next month have been cancelled because they've just split up. Which is a pity.

I'm not the target market and I'd not be able to judge if it'll sell. But f**k me, that whole line up is a special kind of hell. The past couple of years had at least had a few that were watchable, or that I at least respected or understood the appeal of even if it weren't particularly my thing. This year you've to get quite a way down the bill to find someone I wouldn't pay to avoid.

aye, sad news about the ABC. Especially so if bands are going to play the main hall at SWG3 instead, 'cause I'm not keen on that. More of a pain to get to, as well.

Would love to do SxSW someday, but it seems unlikely. Pip Blom is playing the Stag and Dagger thing in May, I believe.

Likewise I'm with you on both Anna Burch and Pip Blom, assuming that's who you meant.

I saw Donnelly three times last year and likewise have a ticket for the forthcoming Glasgow date. She's awesome. She'll be with a band this time though so it'll be interesting to see how that works. Jessica Pratt already has a Scottish date announced as well I think? Goat Girl were at EotR two years ago, and I thought they were ordinary - rushed through the set and finished ages early. From other accounts of them, though, it sounds like they've had much better days.

Saw them at the Hug & Pint last week. They're ... unusual, and not going to be to everyone's taste, but I thought they entirely merited the gathering hype.

Think I've listened to about a dozen this year - there was loads out this week. Nothing that smacks of a potential album of the year so far, but Tiny Ruins probably the pick of them, with more than decent efforts from Cherry Glazerr, Sharon van Etten and maybe one or two others.