M U S I C

KAPUTT Cal Donnelly’s sextet released their debut LP after being one of the most talked about bands in the country for two years. Inspired by Devo, Talking Heads and cult Manchester band Duds, Carnage Hall is a masterclass. (CA)

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FAITH ELIOTT THE TWILIGHT SAD

The Minneapolis-born artist made the excellent Impossible Bodies, understated DIY recordings exploring big ideas. It was released on OK Pal Records, which Eliott formed and runs with Hailey Beavis, putting on gigs and events that have a community focus and an emphasis on art as well as music. (CA) James Graham’s consistently melancholic band released their guitar-heavy fifth album, It Won/t Be Like This All the Time, to widespread critical acclaim, charting at number one on the Scottish Albums Chart. The band also play their biggest-ever headline show at Usher Hall on St Andrew’s Night. (MF)

CARLA J EASTON KARINE POLWART

Carla J Easton’s second solo album, Impossible Stuff, was a dreamy mix of symphonic pop that made the Scottish Album of the Year shortlist for 2019. Easton and her band also provided the live score to National Theatre of Scotland’s ambitious production of Them! (HN) Scottish Songbook went Top 40 and found Karine Polwart presenting her own interpretations of Chvrches, Biffy Clyro, Deacon Blue, Big Country, Frightened Rabbit and more. Laws of Motion was nominated for Scottish Album of the Year while she won Best Original Track at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. (HN)

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H A N N A H B U R T O N

EH-FM Founded in summer 2018 by Jamie Pettinger, Andrea Montalto and Matt Belcher, Edinburgh’s Summerhall-based community radio station has grown to accommodate a roster of 80 shows. Although the programming is varied, the emphasis is on music from local DJs and promoters. (DP)

STILL HOUSE PLANTS Reimagining song through skewed repetition and free improvisation, Still House Plants are one of Glasgow’s most original bands. Featuring collaborations with dancer Shade Therét and free jazz saxophonist Mette Rasmussen, their February residency at London’s Cafe Oto was a joy. (SS)

CALLUM EASTER Callum Easter released a phenomenal debut album in Here or Nowhere and wowed audiences across the UK with a magnetic live show. He plays solo with the accordion, an instrument he seems to have learned on a whim. Easter gigs a lot, and leaves audiences stunned each time. (CA)

CUCINA POVERA Otherworldly and spare, with echoes of Finnish folk and minimal synth, the music of Cucina Povera aka Maria Rossi is a quiet marvel. Rossi followed her second album, Zoom, with a collaborative session for BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction. (SS)

CHLOBOCOP Hailing from Glasgow’s East End, this genre- blending rapper’s style amassed major hype with her second EP and tracks like ‘Narcotics’ being performed during her main-stage TRNSMT slot. Chlobocop can now be found on line-ups next to the likes of Skepta and Octavian. (BC)

30 THE LIST 1 Nov 2019–31 Jan 2020

Still House Plants Carla J Easton