Posts Tagged ‘Chris McCrory’

SLOW WEATHER – ” Clean Living “

Posted: February 6, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Slow Weather is the new project of Chris McCrory and Annie Booth, of Catholic Action and Last Night From Glasgow fame. The collaboration came about when Chris and Annie worked together in recording sessions for a track by wojtek the bear, followed by Chris providing production on Annie’s ‘Spectral’ EP which was released in 2019. Slow Weather is an exciting partnership of two hidden gems of the Scottish music scene; one that on their debut EP showcases two truly great songwriters combining to deliver a very cohesive set of luscious yet varied songs packed with character and nuance.

‘Lisbon’ is a particular highlight, where shimmering guitar glistens over a sleepy rhythm section that brings to mind the dying breaths of day as the sun fades. Annie Booth’s melancholic vocals guide the listener through a series of poetic musings that feel nostalgic in their whispered delivery. The latter parts of the song really begin to take flight and it’s easy to bear resemblances to Beach House, with reverby guitars wash through a circling stream of consciousness. It really is a captivating piece of dream pop and a clear point where the production really shines in giving the songs space to open up and breathe.

The title track ‘Clean Living’ sets off with gentle plucked guitars and lullaby-like keys, which don’t even begin to prepare the listener for this expansive musing on the comedown from a failed relationship. Lines like ‘I’m an optimist’ being met with ‘I’m a realist’ shows the duo’s musical chemistry and interplay as they cohesively weave a sense of narrative that ebbs and flows alongside the instrumentation so elegantly. In the latter half of the track, Chris and Anna deliver a spiralling ‘How did I let this happen to us?’ refrain which repeats over and over, as the keys gently build and layer to drive home the sense of circling thoughts and regret over what has been lost. It’s an emotionally captivating moment that frequently threatens to spill over, yet stays restrained and understated, almost as the character tries to keep their emotions intact. It’s such a powerful finishing statement that leaves a lasting impact.

Slow Weather’s debut is the affirming sound of two artists maturing in their craft and exploring the possibilities offered by collaboration. This clever, emotionally compelling yet often playful set of songs provides an experience more akin to an album than just five songs.

‘Clean Living’ is out now on 12” vinyl, available from Last Night From Glasgow in the UK.

The SLOW WEATHER – ” Great White Male “

Posted: December 31, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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The first single “Great White Male”  from Slow Weather is the new project from renowned producer and Catholic Action front man Chris McCrory and LNFG’s Annie Booth. Annie and Chris first met when Annie was providing feature vocals on a Wojtek the Bear track. Annie Booth is an Edinburgh-based singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. With a keen ear for melody and movingly bittersweet compositions, she is a unique and fiercely emotive voice in the Scottish music scene, her songs woven with a subtle but exciting patchwork of styles and sounds.

A big fan of his recording style, Annie then went into the studio with Chris to work on her “Spectral” EP. The process was extremely fun and organic, leading to talk of writing together for a new project.

After they penned their first song together in four hours, the two knew they’d stumbled across something exciting. The Clean Living EP, due for release in November 2020, was recorded mainly at Hermitage Works Studios in London, with the finishing touches added at Chris‘s home.

Preceded by two digital singles, the EP brings you well-executed, lush song writing from two people whose individual crafts have seamlessly woven together to produce music that is utterly lovely in its sound and has depth in its meaning

The two first worked together on Boothe’s 2018 release Spectrum. Their new project, Slow Weather, offers a proper and satisfying new collaboration. Debut EP Clean Living features five pretty, pastoral indie pop numbers, enhanced by some enjoyable boy/girl vocal interplay. A sunny affair,Clean Living goes great with the hope of morning and a warm cuppa to boot. But we’re really digging the fun, Buffalo Bill referencing “Great White Male,” and its trippy, wrong side of the Rapture video,

Taken from the forthcoming album Clean Living – LNFG39 – Released November 2020.

CATHOLIC ACTION – ” Celebrated By Strangers “

Posted: April 1, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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On their 2020 follow-up Celebrated By Strangers, the four-piece, led by singer, guitarist and producer Chris McCrory, are firing on all cylinders again, and ready to remind you that guitar solos still rule—if they’re as interesting and well-executed as these, that is. While their debut album delivered its fair share of peculiarities, Celebrated By Strangers is peppered with even more moments of unexpected zest.

It’s not very zeitgeisty for bands to unironically shred these days. It’s a welcome shakeup when bands revolt against the simplistic, reverb-drenched plucks that characterize much of the popular indie world—as long as they’re not swapping them for something much worse, like insufferable classic rock revivalism or the radio rock wasteland of “whoa-oh-oh’s,” embodied by bands like Imagine Dragons or Bastille. Glasgow’s Catholic Action are a case study in how to subvert those conventions, while simultaneously making something seemingly fresh. They stitch together pop, punk, indie, glam and garage rock, always with bold guitars at the center, but most crucially, there’s a contagious bounciness to their music. The four-piece band released their debut album, In Memory Of, back in 2017, and it was a frequently amusing, occasionally dark collection of hopped-up pop songs with knobby guitar tones. It was also one of those records that made you remember what it was like to actually hear irresistibly hummable basslines in guitar songs that are decidedly not funky indie-pop or stark post-punk.

On their 2020 follow-up “Celebrated By Strangers”, the four-piece led by singer, guitarist and producer Chris McCrory, are firing on all cylinders again, ready to remind you that guitar solos still rule—if they’re as interesting and well-executed as these, that is. While their debut album delivered its fair share of peculiarities, Celebrated By Strangers is peppered with even more moments of unexpected zest.

CATHOLIC ACTION – ” People Don’t Protest Enough “

Posted: March 24, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Catholic Action – Celebrated by Strangers

It would be fair to say that Celebrated By Strangers, the second album from Glasgow’s Catholic Action, has had a complex gestation, with recordings sessions for the record dating back to at least 2017. While promoting their debut record In Memory Of, singer and guitarist Chris McCrory told us that he wanted the follow-up “to change what it means to be in a guitar band” and feature My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields on guitar. This is not that record. After all, the biggest change here isn’t sonic but the frontman’s own decision to confront injustice and let rip.

Musically Catholic Action are still deeply indebted to the sound of classic rockers like Status Quo, The Cars and T. Rex with opener Grange Hell’s noisy intro giving way to two minutes of jittery power-pop and several tracks featuring guitar solos worthy of striking a pose to.

Lyrically though they have pushed on a long way from their debut. Almost every track here has some kind of political message. Lead single One of Us is a noisy masses-against-the-classes throw down with McCrory proclaiming himself ‘the welfare son of a welfare son’. It’s a track that the singer describes as “written as a direct response to what I see happening in the UK – a country ravaged by poverty and a disintegrating social fabric of increasingly isolated and intoxicated people.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtQYkf9kZBQ

Elsewhere from the sprightly indie disco of People Don’t Protest Enough to the closing Four Guitars (For Scottish Independence), McCrory sees the state of the world and decides he’s had enough. While there is a debate to had over whether retro rock is the most progressive or convincing medium with which to sell this message, his commitment and zeal is impressive.

They’ve not forgotten how to write a melody either. Another Name For Loneliness has a swooping vocal and a keyboard line that threatens to resolve into a David Bowie song at any second, while Sign Here is an explosive ballad that seems to address exploitation in the music business.

At times it feels like a strange fusion of medium and message but it’s a triumph that Catholic Action manage to imbue an increasingly staid format with some revolutionary zeal.

ANNIE BOOTH – ” Magic 8 “

Posted: March 29, 2019 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Scottish Fiction and Last Night From Glasgow are proud to present ‘Magic 8’, the lead single from Annie Booth’s new EP ‘Spectral’.

Lead single ‘Magic 8’ showcases perfectly Booth’s lyrical frankness as she concedes “This is all I have to give to you and it’s nothing”, atop elegant acoustic guitar playing and building instrumentation; exposing herself and her shortcomings to the listener with a touching sincerity. It is a song which freely admits the writer does not have the answers; delving into the feeling of hopelessness and melancholy which permeates in all our lives, whether we admit it or not.

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‘Spectral’, the EP from which ‘Magic 8’ is taken from, follows on from 2017’s triumphant debut album ‘An Unforgiving Light’, and is a far more intimate collection of songs. Working with acclaimed producer Chris McCrory (Catholic Action, Siobhan Wilson) ‘Spectral’ showcases bittersweet notions set against sparse and creeping instrumentation. Affecting and dense in subject matter, ‘Spectral’ traces Booth’s maturing development as a songwriter both musically and lyrically.

Released March 29th, 2019
Composed and arranged by Annie Booth.Vocals, acoustic guitar, keys, synths and additional electric guitar performed by Annie Booth. 
Electric guitar, synths and monotron performed by Chris McCrory. 

CATHOLIC ACTION – ” Propaganda “

Posted: September 27, 2017 in MUSIC
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Glasgow’s sassiest and brightest band Catholic Action release their long-awaited debut album. A record that’s been years in the making for a band that has prolifically produced great material since their inception, the album was produced by their frontman Chris McCrory alongside Margo Broom (Fat White Family, Goat Girl, Dead Pretties, Phobophobes). The album is a a vibrant collection of guitar-pop anthems. Opening track L.U.V. is an example of Catholic Action’s angular approach to pop. The Shallows is one In Memory Of’s biggest moments, with it’s festival ready, sing-along chorus while New Year and Doing Well battle each other to be the album’s most catchy tune. Album closer Stars and Stripes brings together all of the album’s different elements, uniting the threads for a satisfying conclusion.

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The single Propaganda released on limited 7’ Vinyl, taken from their debut album In Memory Of. It includes B Side Sunday Driver (Divide and Conquer Edit). A breakneck paced slab of punked up art-rock, Propaganda typifies Catholic Action’s penchant for penning instantly memorable pop nuggets, with a sardonic and knowing sense of self. Propaganda is a snappy piece of morning after regret, with frontman Chris McCrory explaining that the track “is a bad reaction to a hellish night. Spent up to my neck in landfill indie and cheap pints. A drunken epiphany on the dance floor, when you realise you’re very, very lost.”

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CATHOLIC ACTION – ” Black & White / Here There and Nowhere “

Posted: September 22, 2017 in MUSIC
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Catholic Action are a product of Glasgow’s famously fertile music scene but have won fans across the UK thanks to their peerless pop masterpieces. After a run of rapturously received gigs in their hometown the group released their long-awaited debut release for Luv Luv Luv Records (Spector, Only Real, Splashh, The Garden) earlier this year.

The four-piece band are centered around the singular talents of vocalist and guitarist Chris McCrory – already known among key taste-makers as the drummer in Casual Sex, another of Glasgow’s leading musical lights.
McCrory, still only 24, became a full-time producer and recording engineer straight from school after establishing his own studio. While helping many of the artists in Glasgow’s burgeoning DIY scene, McCrory is also an exceptional songwriter in his own right and his group quickly became the most talked about in town.

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Catholic Action were formed in 2014 by McCrory alongside Jamie Dubber on bass and Ryan Clark on drums. Andrew Macpherson later joined as lead guitarist to add extra sparkle to the group’s own brand of glam noise rock. The Glasgow band performed at a slew of this year’s’ tastemaker festivals including Live At Leeds, The Great Escape and Radio 1 Big Weekend and have announced a UK tour to coincide with a new single on Luv Luv Luv Records.

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Just added this track cause I love it so much,

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Band Members
Chris McCrory
Ryan Clark
Jamie Dubber
Andrew Macpherson

CATHOLIC ACTION – ” Honk If You’re Lonely ” (The Silver Jews Cover )

Posted: February 22, 2016 in MUSIC
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Hot off the heels of support slots with Swim Deep, The Libertines and FFS, Glasgow group Catholic Action have shared new track ‘L.U.V’.

Catholic Action are a product of Glasgow’s famously fertile music scene but have won fans across the UK. After a run of well received gigs in their hometown the group are ready to release their forthcoming debut release L.U.V.

The four-piece band are centered around vocalist and guitarist Chris McCrory – already known for being the drummer in Casual Sex, another of Glasgow’s leading musical lights.

McCrory, only 24, became a full-time producer and recording engineer straight from school after establishing his own studio. While helping many of the artists in Glasgow’s burgeoning DIY scene, McCrory is also an exceptional songwriter in his own right and his group quickly became the most talked about in town.

Catholic Action were formed in 2014 by McCrory alongside Jamie Dubber on bass and Ryan Clark on drums. Andrew Macpherson later joined as lead guitarist to add an extra punch to the group’s own brand of glam noise rock. The group were personally invited by Alex Kapranos to support FFS at their sold-out show at the Barrowland Ballroom last August. Just days later, Carl Barat was in touch to ask them to open for The Libertines when they played Glasgow’s Academy the following month – an invitation to open on Swim Deep’s UK tour in October 2015 followed.

L.U.V. was recorded at the Green Door Studio in Glasgow and produced by Sam Smith (Casual Sex, Mother and the Addicts). Catholic Action will perform live at:

24 Feb The Dome, London (NME Awards w/ Swim Deep)
29 March Fallow, Manchester
30 March Sebright Arms, London
31 March Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow
1 April Underdog, Aberdeen
30 April Live at Leeds festival
20 May The Great Escape Festival

As punchy and jagged as those they’ve shared stages with, it’s a barbed introduction to their inner-city indie-rock. Taken from a debut release on Luv Luv Luv Records,

‘L.U.V’ is released on March 18th – both before and after, they’re racking up more road miles,

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CATHOLIC ACTION – ” The Shallows “

Posted: May 3, 2015 in MUSIC
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A prime example of the often over-lapping nature of the city’s music scene of Glasgow . Chris McCrory, when not keeping time for the ace band Casual Sex, he also fronts another band called Catholic Action – a four-piece proving they have a knack of killer pop hooks. It’s unsurprising he knows his way around a song given that he’s also one of the busiest record producers working in Glasgow, with a hand in several of the stand-out releases of recent years. Catch them on Saturday (2nd May) at the CCA, where they support The Growlers, or on Sunday as part of Live at Glasgow.

LTD ED Split Tape from FUZZKILL RECORDS available online from March 30th and at the following shows:

Glasgow / Broadcast – Friday 3rd April
Edinburgh / Wide Days Festival 10th April
Glasgow / CCA with The Growlers 2nd May