In honour of the start of the South By SouthWest Festival (SXSW), which begins tomorrow in Austin, Texas, we've curated an hour of tracks from some of our favourite bands attending this year's showcase. Now in its 26th year, the event welcomes a whopping 2,500 bands in total, all hoping to wow the crowds, and perhaps make their bones. We've got a selection of sounds from the Scottish contingent making their way across to Austin this year, including Young Fathers, Honeyblood, Rustie and Casual Sex, as well as Stones Throw heavyweight Jonwayne, and Leeds rockers Eagulls.

We spoke exclusively to Young Fathers' 'G' Hastings about the band's SXSW history – remembering their 2013 visit, G describes a strange encounter in the desert: "Last year we went out in the sticks in Texas and met a cowboy in all white, including the hat. We spoke to him outside a barn with the confederate flag hanging outside," he reports. For G, Texas is all about the "rattlesnakes and good lemonade," and he is looking forward to playing SXSW after an acclaimed tour back home and in Europe.

"We've been happy to see people moving," he says. "To see people with a bit of soul turn up, all different folk. Last night it was 20 minutes before the crowd gave up on an encore. It's good to see the trendy lots squirm cos they don't understand even though they want to. So in America we just want more of the same." Asked if he has any feelings about appearing on this year's bill alongside major label headliners like Coldplay, Pitbull and Imagine Dragons, G remains a consummate professional: "We don't feel a thing," he says. Just give us the stage and we will do a job only we can do."

Asked if there's anyone he and his bandmates are looking forward to seeing at the festival, G says: "I haven't seen the lineup. We missed everyone last time. Iggy Pop was on at same time as us on a stage next door. In between songs I could hear him through the wall so we turned us up so he could hear us when he stopped." The Skinny wishes Young Fathers and all the Scottish bands playing at SXSW this year the very best of luck!

Our playlist kicks off with tracks from the delightful Honeyblood, the ever-reliable Rustie and legends-in-the-making Young Fathers, before moving on to check out hotly-tipped synth-pop trio Prides, a cheeky little vintage from post-punk nutters Casual Sex, the latest single from acclaimed singer-songwriter Withered Hand, and a searing slice of indie rock from Glasgow's Holy Esque. 

Next up, there's a slice of classical-meets-Celtic loveliness from Cairn String Quartet, a live track from We Were Promised Jetpacks, actual honest-to-goodness bagpipes from Saor Patrol, and a slice of elegant melancholy from Edinburgh's Meursault. To finish up, we sample a slice of artful fuzz-grunge from Pontiak, a track from Stones Throw's Jonwayne, psych-rock goodness from NYC's The Black Angels, and end on a storming Killing Joke cover by those unstoppable Eagulls.

We're off to this year's event to catch some bands, drink some tequila, and eat some improbably large steaks – we'll have an account of the Austin experience and a few video exclusives from the event for you in the weeks to come. Keep track of the latest SxSW chatter and drop us a line on Twitter here if you're messing with Texas.

Cloud Sounds #8: Don't Mess With Texas

Scottish trio and Anticon signees Young Fathers brings "Show Me The Future Volume 2" to a close with the extremely future tune, "Effigy"... a track so good we HAD to preview it.

After a successful Volume 1 of the 'Show Me The Future' series which included Ryan Hemsworth, Evenings, Octo Octa and more... we've decided to bring you another!!

Show Me The Future Volume 2 is out August 12th on Friends of Friends

1. Larry Gus - Nettles (In The Heat)
2. Kyson - Sunnyvale
3. Coyote Clean Up - I'm Guilty
4. Motions - Motions
5. The Cyclist - Daisy Spirals
6. Hej Fund - SNC
7. Young Father - Effigy

Young Fathers - Effigy

raps & beats by Jonwayne, from the forth coming RAP ALBUM ONE - October 29, 2013. 
http://www.stonesthrow.com/store/album/jonwayne/rap-album-one

Rap Album One

Jonwayne - Reflection

Debut single 'Bud' released October 21 (UK)/November 4th (US) on Fat Cat.

Buy the limted edition vinyl here: fatcat.sandbaghq.com/honeyblood-bud-pre-order.html

Eagulls - Requiem (Killing Joke Cover)

The Circle

"Black Tambourine" is the first single from Withered Hand's album "New Gods," and features guest appearances from Pam Berry (vocals) and Eugene Kelly (guitar).

Get it from iTunes: http://smarturl.it/withered-bt-itunes

Fortuna POP! (UK/Europe) and Slumberland Records (US/Canada) are proud to announce the new album by the Edinburgh based folk-rock troubadour Dan Willson who records as WITHERED HAND. “New Gods” is his stunning second album, following his critically acclaimed debut “Good News”.

Active in the world of visual art and dabbling in music for many years, Withered Hand’s Dan Willson came late to singing and songwriting at age 30, in a period of reflection between the death of a close friend and the birth of his first child. The resultant material, much of which went on to become the album “Good News,” has been praised for its depth and startling honesty.

Withered Hand has been embraced by Fife-based musical powerhouse the Fence Collective (whose sovereign King Creosote guests on the new album), seen his songs picked up on MTV and cult series Skins, and gained a legion of fans including Jarvis Cocker and Rolling Stone Magazine USA (who decreed him “Artist to Watch”).

A prolific live performer, recent Withered Hand shows have included collaborations with Pam Berry of seminal 90's US noise-pop band Black Tambourine and a rotating cast of musical friends embellishing Dan's exuberant and original songwriting alongside fragile and uplifting solo performances.

The long-awaited second album (produced by Tony Doogan – Mountain Goats/Belle & Sebastian etc - and part-funded by arts council body Creative Scotland) features guest appearances from the likes of Pam Berry, Eugene Kelly of The Vaselines and members of Belle & Sebastian and Frightened Rabbit.

The five years since “Good News” was recorded has seen Willson honing his songcraft, building his audience and gaining critical momentum. “New Gods” is a beautifully executed collection of songs from one of Scotland’s most gifted songwriters.


“Beautifully constructed lyrical frameworks ... on this banjo-tinged brand of Caledonian gospel” – **** MOJO

“the UK’s best lyricist” – King Creosote, in The Independent

“Killer melodies ... wobbly folk grooves ... tunes full of warm, woozy sing-song charm” – 'Artist to Watch' - Rolling Stone – 2011


Buy from iTunes

Withered Hand - Black Tambourine

Lack Lustre Rush

From the album 'E Rey (Live in Philadelphia)' 

Pre-Order US LTD CD: http://fatcat.hasawebstore.com/product/INS128402/ereyliveinphiladelphia

We Were Promised Jetpacks Winter 2013 Tour

02.21 - Los Angeles, CA @ The El Rey
02.22 - San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo's 365 Club
02.24 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
02.25 - Seattle, WA @ Neumo's
02.28 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Triple Rock Social Club
03.01 - Milwaukee, WI @ Shank Hall 
03.02 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
03.03 - Cleveland, OH @ the Grog Shop 
03.05 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair 
03.06 - Wilmington, DE @ Arden Gild Hall 
03.07 - Washington, DC @ The Black Cat 
03.08 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall 
03.09 - Richmond, VA @ The Camel 
03.11 - Chattanooga, TN @ Rhythm And Brews 
03.14 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
03.15 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
03.16 - Mexico City, MX @ Pasagüero

We Were Promised Jetpacks - Peace Sign

Meursault - Lament For A Teenage Millionaire

A rocking tune in true Celtabilly style. The one that usually gets the crowd swinging when
the party starts jumping, the feet tapping and the heartbeat thumping.

Chasin the Beer

Music journalist and editor, formerly of The Skinny. Will go to a lot of trouble for a little bit of win.

Cloud Sounds #8: Don't Mess With Texas

Dave Kerr