Really sad news that Over the Wall are calling in a day, but let’s not be too sad come and join us for their final show at Oran Mor on 24th May. There is also a show at Voodoo Rooms for Limbo on 10th May in Edinburgh. Gav from the band has written a heartfelt piece over on their page to explain the rise and fall of Over the Wall - http://weareoverthewall.com/

We are delighted to be releasing the new EP from Pronto Mama ‘Niche Market’, which is the second EP from the band this year. It is due for release on CD and Download from 15th September 2014.

Everyone’s favourite noisy revolutionaries John Knox Sex Club have released their new album, and it’s predictably superb.

Including live favourites ‘Animals’ and the epic 'Hard Days’, while it’s available to download we’d recommend getting a hold of the beautifully packaged 12" vinyl, including download code of course. Get a wee preview and order it in our shop by clicking right here.

It’s not too late for a retrospective of the year is it? It’s become somewhat of a cliche to batter on about the eventfulness of 2014 on our particular nation, and while trying our best not to tip into said cliche, it’s fair to say that it was a fantastic year for the Instinctive Racoon acts. This year will be even better.

Three Blind Wolves kicked us off with a sold-out Oran Mor for their Celtic Connections show, then wisely spent much of the year writing their next record (what we’ve heard sounds well worth the wait). Pronto Mama released two excellent EPs (http://instinctiveracoon.bandcamp.com/ ) and tore it up live all over the country, including supporting We Were Promised Jetpacks on tour. Washington Irving are only just off the plane back from New York where they’ve been making their next record with producer Kevin McMahon, who’s skills you might know from Frightened Rabbit’s Midnight Organ Fight as well as the likes of Swans, The Walkmen and Titus Andronicus. 

Gav Prentice spent the lion’s share of the year involved in theatre productions, including a massive national tour of Rantin and the spectacular Tin Forest at Glasgow’s South Rotunda building; both of which utilised the storytelling nature of the songs from his Invisible Hand album (http://instinctiveracoon.bandcamp.com/album/the-invisible-hand ). The mighty John Knox Sex Club released the stunning Oh Wow Must Be The Devil (http://instinctiveracoon.bandcamp.com/album/oh-wow-must-be-the-devil ) in the middle of supporting the likes of Amazing Snakeheads and The Phantom Band, all generally cementing their reputation as one of the fiercest live acts this land has ever spewed forth. We have to mention our excitement at the emergence of plucky youngsters Man of Moon, an excitement which pretty much everyone that’s seen them live shares with us, as well as the arrival of ULTRAS, who’s only posted song to date, This Is Where I Fall (http://www.ultrasband.com/) has caused quite a stir on the blogs.

It was all topped off with a riotous Christmas show featuring most of the above, as well as guests Louie from Hector Bizerk, The Vagabond Poets and Sharptooth at the Kinning Park Complex. The evening was as musically pleasing as it was drunken (a lot).

The year was also tinted with sadness though, as Over the Wall called it a day, bidding farewell with the This Is How We Did It EP (http://instinctiveracoon.bandcamp.com/album/this-is-how-we-did-it ) and a series of emotional final performances. We’d like to sincerely thank anyone that helped pack these shows out and gave the final chapter of the Over the Wall story such a fitting close, particularly the final two in Edinburgh and Glasgow; it’s safe to say that the memory of those evenings won’t fade fast for all concerned. Get the EP and have a wee cry to yourself if you need help with January blues.

Thanks for all of your support over the last year, in whatever form it came, and have a great 2015.

Cheers,
Instinctive Racoon