Song, By Toad is a record label I have come to know, trust and admire over the years and it's good to hear that they are about to expand into a small warehouse studio in Leith.
Up to now their lo-fi releases might have been sub-titled 'More Songs From Fairly Small Rooms' and this 13-track compilation, showcasing four diverse but compatible artists is no exception. It is accurately described as "a wonderful blend of bare acoustic music and slow-paced rumbling drone".
The fancy pseudonyms should not blind you to the fact that behind each name stands a lone man. The Scottish contingent are Ian Turnbill (Digitalanalogue) and Neil Pennycook (Supermoon) both from Edinburgh, while the US of A are represented by Brendon Massi (Viking Moses) from Baltimore and Jon Rooney (Virgin Of The Birds) from Seattle.
Viking Moses a name I recall from Golden Apples of the Sun, the Devendra Banhart curated compilation album for Arthur Magazine in 2004 which featured the song Crosses alongside tracks by luminaries like Joanna Newsom, Josephine Foster, Six Organs of Admittance and Iron & Wine. The effect was to misleadingly align Massi with the 'New Weird America' scene.
As his biblical marauding alias suggests, Viking Moses is passionate and intense yet evidently a kindly soul and not obviously new or old weird. Of his three songs, the standout is Learning To Swim, a cover of a tenderly sexy urban love song by LA's Mother McKenzie with lyrics that, like memories, are both specific and elusive: "My whole life I felt so scared but next to you I felt so strong"
Ian Turnbill is the sound of the man who is never far from his Sigur Ros record collection which is by no means a bad thing. He released an album called 'Be Embraced, You Millions!' and if the exclamation mark and dramatic call to arms declaration makes you think of Godspeed You! Black Emperor then you won't be surprised to discover that a sublime cover of The Triumph Of Our Tired Eyes originally by GY!BE offshoots Silver Mount Zion is one of his four contributions. This is the only one of his tunes to feature vocals; short but dramatic instrumental are his stock in trade.
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The prize for best title goes to Supermoon's Jim Henson Memorial Beach Low-Down Manhattan Tour Blues in which Pennycook manages to praise the beauty of life whilst sounding on the brink of despair. His version of Adam Faucett's Day Drinker, a poignant character study of an alcoholic, is also beautifully bleak.
The award for most memorable lyricist goes to Jon Roony aka Virgin Of The Birds. For prime examples of his song writing skills, it's a tie between Spooky, Stony, Barely Over Thirty and Ilona, You Should be My Vampire Attendant, both sung in his voice that is halfway between whining and pleading.
This official mix tape may be an interim record in Song, By Toad's history but it is no stop gap and in my humble opinion it's one of the best albums the label have put out to date.
Long may they run.
Song, By Toad record label website
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