We know full well that the Scots are more than capable of producing some top-notch artists, so it’s always a pleasant surprise when we stumble upon a new one here at TVD HQ. This week’s Artist of the Week are Edinburgh-based Gypsy Circus, a raucous quartet who are about to take 2019 by storm.
Fresh from releasing their effervescent new EP “Holy Lights and Shadows,” Gypsy Circus have gone from strength to strength. The EP was produced by Idlewild’s Rod Jones and boy, does it show. Each track feels fully formed and wonderfully executed throughout, even reminding us of fellow Scots Biffy Clyro at times.
The band’s latest single and title track “Holy Lights and Shadows” is the perfect introduction to the band’s full-throttle sound, combining elements of classic and alt-rock to create Gypsy Circus’ signature blend. Currently on tour around Scotland, we’re sure this is only the start for these local lads and the rest of the world will come knocking soon enough. Only time will tell!
“Holy Lights and Shadows” is in stores now.
South Cape, FL | Revolution Records: Owner’s dream becomes reality with opening of store in South Cape: One of the most familiar things Jason Handy remembers hearing from his parents is, “Why do you have to spend so much money on records?” From the time he turned 9 years old, he was always buying them. And for the past 30 years, the Englishman said the idea to open a store has, “been in the works in his mind.” About five weeks ago, that became a reality. “Now with vinyl coming back and being popular again and now being older and being able to afford to put money into the business as opposed to being a reckless 20-something, it made more sense now.” Some people say records went away, but Handy disagrees. “It didn’t really to the people that collected it. It didn’t actually go anywhere. It attracts a wide audience from 15 year olds to 75-80 year olds,” he said. “There’s no shoe that really fits. It’s all over the place and 
Ankara, TR | Collectors of rare vinyl LPs find treasure trove in Turkey: While most millennials have never even laid eyes on a vinyl music record, many older collectors travel the world in search of rare albums. According to record sellers in Ankara, Turkey is a treasure trove of hard-to-find 45 and 78 RPM (rounds-per-minute) records, also known as LPs, from a range of musical genres. “Because Turkey, unlike the U.S. and Europe, hasn’t produced that many vinyl records, many of those that were made here are considered rare,” longtime collector Süleyman Özyıldırım told Anadolu Agency. Having grown up listening to vinyl records, Özyıldırım now owns and manages “Shades,” a shop in Ankara’s Cankaya district that sells cassettes, CDs and vinyl LPs, many of which are relatively hard to find. “Vinyl albums produced after the 1960s are especially coveted by collectors,” said Özyıldırım, 55, whose private collection of records numbers 
Singapore | The 9 best vinyl record stores in Singapore: Analog music may be a dying industry, but we’ll be damned if we don’t admit that the flicking of fingertips through crates of alphabetically-arranged LPs isn’t an irreplaceable experience. It’s like browsing a jukebox, but the preview echoes in your head in hummed memory, instead of as static blarings through a stereo. The album art too, is a lost artform best appreciated in its full glory on thick paper sleeves. If you’re 
Houston, TX | Connected record store, coffee shop to open on 19th: Black Dog Records and Maggie May’s Coffee is preparing to open in early March at 726 W. 19th St., across from Tarka Indian Kitchen. And although the coffee element is new, Black Dog already has a following. Owner James Sherwood had Black Dog on Bissonnet for seven years. “We closed the location as the unit size of 1,200 square feet was not adequate enough to support the addition of a coffee shop,” Sherwood said…In addition to selling quality, near-mint-condition first and early pressings of 
NEW RELEASE PICK: V/A, SLR 30 Singles Subscription Series (Slumberland Records) Back in 1990, I scooped up Slumberland’s single of Velocity Girl’s “I Don’t Care If You Go” and I’ve been a fan of the label ever since. This series (copies will also be available in stores, all with download codes) kicked off back in October and is slated to finish near the end of 2019, and as it focuses on 45s (which have been something of a label specialty) it’s a fitting way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Slumberland’s considerable achievement, while spotlighting artists that aren’t part of the endeavor’s historical or current scheme. Here’s a rundown of the first four, and we’ll keep track moving forward to December.
The Suncharms, “Red Dust” b/w “Film Soundtrack” Formed in ’89, this UK-based quintet knocked out a couple of records shortly after and played a handful of opening spots for notable acts of period (including Television Personalities, The Orchids, Cranes, and Catherine Wheel). This landed them a Peel Session and had Slumberland eager to get them on the roster, though a breakup occurred before that could happen. Due to the positive response to their eponymous 2016 retrospective CD the band reconvened and began working on new material. Here’s the first evidence, with the A-side starting out as nice mid-tempo guitar-pop before the amps kick in and the tempo picks up. The boost might register as inevitable, but it’s far from hackneyed, and the flip is a loud melodic fiesta of solos. A-
Rat Columns, “Sometimes We’re Friends b/w “Astral Lover” & “Waiting to Die” When ponying up for a subscription series or singles club, a definite perk is receiving fresh exposure to previously unheard bands. That’s the case here with me and Rat Columns, though I am familiar with project leader David West’s other outfit Rank Xerox (he was also in Total Control). Diving into indie pop but with a decided Down Under feel (Down Undercurrent?), this is the Perth, Australia lineup of Rat Columns (the group has had US members), and it connects as distinct from his other stuff, with the A-side starting out a little moody with synth and then shifting into high-jangle gear (the synth sticks around). “Astral Lover” is a concise dose of chamber pop and “Waiting to Die” an unflustered, guitar-infused stroll. I dig. A-
David Lance Callahan, “Strange Lovers” b/w “Waiting for the Cut-Off” Another cool aspect of subscriptions/ clubs is getting to catch up with new material from musicians that have made an impact on your consciousness for a long time. I’m that way with Callahan, who was in C86 act The Wolfhounds (their “Anti-Midas Touch” remains one of my favorite songs from the era) and in the ‘90s was part of the quite happenin’ Too Pure band Moonshake (The Wolfhounds reformed in 2010 and have released LPs since). These two cuts are Callahan’s first ever solo recordings ahead of a full LP planned for some time this year. “Strange Lovers,” while not twee, does attain a level of well-mannered sophistication (complete with fingerpicking and chimes) that’s as English as a crumpet. Flip’s a likeable strummer. B+
Dolly Dream, “The Way to Heaven” b/w “Slip Thru Hell” And yet one more nifty facet of the sub/ club scenario is records that divert from expectations, and of these four short-players this one is the most surprising if not the strongest overall. Featuring Meg Remy of US Girls with assistance from members of Fucked Up, “The Way to Heaven” is ’60s throwback gal-pop that’s just off-kilter enough to have drawn comparisons to the dreamy-achy songs familiar to the soundtracks of David Lynch. I can hear that, but the considerably more wacked-out B-side is a bit like music Lynch might’ve used for a short film from around the time of Fire Walk with Me or Lost Highway. Its only shortcoming is that it’s over too quickly. Dolly Dream radiates like a one-off but is engagingly weird enough that I hope I’m wrong. B+
