Hello everyone. It’s been a while, we know…

After a bit of extended hiatus, we’re really chuffed to say we have a new record out today!

We’ve gone about it a little differently this time around, though. With all the disruption, delays and rises in prices, etc., it’s digital-only for the meantime; an LP will follow.  

We just thought rather than sitting on the project for AGES we’d like to share the music with the world. So, without further ado:

Tulsaqueen’s debut album is out now
on all your favourite streaming platforms!

The keen-eyed amongst you will recognise Wiggy from Curdle – and you’d be right. This new project, spawned from her love of Americana and gloomy murder ballads, takes a slightly different, experimental and subdued look into the darkness.

We’re having a wee launch TONIGHT at the Old Hairdressers, which there’s still tickets for. We’ve got a great line up, with Pocketknife and Mima Merrow joining us, along with the return of the infamous Double A-Side Raffle, with all proceeds going to Shelter!

Enjoy the record and we’ll see you again soon.

It’s Friday 16th October in what has been so far a pretty challenging year all round, but we have something to help rectify that! What could that be, you wonder? A new release from Tugboat Captain of course!

Rut sees the London quartet mature from humble DIY beginnings to a fully fledged studio band. Probably assisted by recoding in legendary Abbey Road studios, but also as the band themselves have grown in recent years. However, we’re not going to dwell too much and let the music do the talking. Here’s some of our favourite reviews:

a bombastic exploration of what it means

to find your place in this world

Adam Goldsmith, Secret Meeting

Rut is an album that should be celebrated,

a band out performing every expectation. 

For The Rabbits

Unfortunately, we aren’t due to get the records next week (no thanks to Covid…) however, you can still pre-order it from our online store and check it out on your favourite steaming platform.

Stay safe xo

Some of you have probably seen on our socials that we’re releasing another album later this year! London’s Tugboat Captain caught our attention when they played our local, much beloved venue, the Glad Cafe in April 2019. Recorded last year in Abbey Road studios (yes THAT Abbey Road), Rut brings an expansion of the band’s sound from previous bedroom efforts to a new plateau, but enough about that. You’ll get to hear it soon enough. You can listen to the aptly titled lead single No Plans (For This Year) on all your favourite streaming websites now:

Recently, we caught up with Alex to discuss the new album and the reality of life in lockdown, including a cut short US tour.

How has lockdown been treating you? Was it easy for you to adjust to?

Hi Double A-Side, lockdown’s been pretty weird for all of us. We were forced to turnaround midway through a string of US shows and instead of flying out from New York to SXSW in Austin we ended up flying home straight into lockdown. It skewed a lot of our plans for this year (see what I did there…) so we’ve just been figuring out how to go about being a band whilst being unable to do all the things that make a band a band.

What can we expect from the new album?

You can expect 35 minutes of pure unadulterated guitar-pop. We’ve thrown every cliché and every hands-in-the-air moment into this set of songs. It’s our first full-length release recorded in an actual real recording studio (not our living room with a mic inside a shoe) so it should also bring to light some of the musical aspects that have previously been hidden in the murk. Otherwise its your first opportunity to hear our incredible new drummer, Georgia Mancey, beat the tubs on record.

What show/films/books have been keeping you sane throughout this time?

A pretty mixed bag really. I ordered a bunch of zines from Back Of The Gig and Secret Meeting which are both super fun and I’ve also been reading Gold Flake Paint. I’ve been trying to watch all the rock docs I’ve never really had the chance to watch and I strongly recommend Dig! which is about the Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre. In between these things I’ve rediscovered some old video games and have been committing a little too much time to Runescape and some of the old Total War games. Also, watch The Last Kingdom because it’s awesome and better than Vikings.

Any music recommendations you discovered or revisited recently?

One of my activities has been to try and listen to every record I own which has been fun. Favourite revisits have been from The BV’s and Adults. I’ve also been listening to the new Savage Mansion record a load, too! Lots of friends have managed to keep putting out music during lockdown so I’ve made a little playlist of pals releasing singles.

 

Any lockdown recipes you’d like to share?

I’ve been pretty skint and lazy a lot of lockdown so have been eating a lot of pancakes. Pancakes are cheap.

Rut is out on October 25th on vinyl and digitally, and you can pre-order a copy now! 

Following on from our conversation with Barbe Rousse during lockdown, we dropped our favourite goth-pop band Curdle a line. We had the pleasure of releasing Curdle’s debut album on vinyl last year.

Let’s see what they’ve been up to:

How are you adjusting to life in lockdown? Have you managed to keep creative? 

Wiggy: I’ve been trying to keep creative as much as I can! It’s hard to keep focused on creative things when there’s so much else going on but it’s so, so good for your happiness. We do have a new song in the works! It’s called Bloodbeat.

Hoggers: It’s about lusting after someone you also want to kill. Luckily we started it before lockdown… Zoom is not conducive to socially distant practices! Life in lockdown is strange. My creativity goes as far as painting and drawing with the wee one at the mo.

Clare: I’ve still been beavering away at my college work so that has given me some sort of creative outlet. Also attempting to teach myself guitar.

Bread making, yay or nay?

Wiggy: I haven’t tried to make bread yet but I’m not very good at cooking! Other Curdles?

Hoggers: Funny you should ask – I just turned the oven on! I made a rhubarb starter last year and have been baking at least 2 sourdoughs a week since then. It’s quite a commitment to keep the wee starter guy alive. Although he can get a bit smelly. Wiggy smelt him once and nearly passed out.

Clare: So far I have mastered banana bread.

Have any of you taken on any new hobbies?

Wiggy: I don’t know if it counts as a new hobby because I’ve had my eyes on one of these since way before lockdown but I just bought an autoharp so my new hobby has been playing that!

Hoggers: And we can’t wait to hear it! I’ve started running three times a week and have been surprised at how addicted I’ve become. It’s amazing how quickly you can get your stamina up and how much it helps your head. What a cliche. It’s so nice to see much more of the local park and notice all of the small changes as things bloom.

Clare: I’ve taken up drinking and peeing in the park with much success.

What are you most looking forward to after this all blows over?

Wiggy: DEFINITELY playing live! And even just practising, seeing all the people I miss, swimming, record shopping, the list is too long actually. Many, many new songs.

Hoggers: Oh yes, playing live. But giving my Curdles a great big squeeze and getting back into the studio even before that. Meeting up with loved ones. Getting in the car and going for a big bloody drive to a loch with a picnic.

Clare:  FRIENDS!!! Especially my Curdles, getting back to the studio, playing live and going to gigs. The pub!!! I miss the pub!!!

Curdle’s album is available on vinyl and your favourite digital platforms. They also contributed a track to our Play It Like a Woman compilation. 

Wow…things are a bit crazy right now, aren’t they? Ongoing global pandemic and all… Anyway, we thought it would be fun to catch up with some of our acts and pals and start a new semi-regular feature on our website. The first being with Barbe Rousse, who regular readers remember as the man behind our first release way back in 2017!

How are you adjusting to life in lockdown?

Initially, like everyone, the beginning was unsettling and daunting – scared for our jobs and loved ones – but the only way to distract myself, in my instance anyway, was to get stuck into making some sweet tunes and banging beats. A lot of people have done the same I believe – turned this negative period into something positive creatively.

So, to actually answer your question, yes, I’ve adjusted a bit too well. Perhaps to the point where re-entering working life will be a bit of a shock to the system!

Can we expect any new music from the house of Barbe Rousse?

Indeed you can! Be prepared for me to clog up your news feed and make your ears bleed. I’ve used this weird period to tie up a lot of musical loose ends and it’s allowed me to finally finish a few songs that have been gathering dust over the last year or 2. Actually, there’s a song in there that’s 7 years old – clearly can’t come up with any new ideas eh?

So said dust gathering songs will take the form of an EP which I have aptly called Factory Settings. Given the current circumstances, I thought it’d be a good time to release new tunes as everyone seems to be discovering new music with all the free time they’ve been given. Mind you, if I want folk to listen to me, I should’ve made a podcast.

What TV shows or films have been keeping you sane?

I think this is a universal feeling at the moment, but Joe Exotic has really helped me through the last few months. And that @%! Carole Baskin. I recommend Ozark, watched it twice, I believe. Done my annual watch of all 3 Mighty Boosh seasons and live shows. Oh, Better Call Saul was class but I need more! And a bit of New Girl to fill in the gaps – 20 mins of easily digestible content. Nick Miller is the man.

My pal Struan and I have been fan-girling over the Muppets so have re-watched some of the classics – Muppet Treasure Island and Muppets from Space. Can’t go wrong.

Any good lockdown stories?

My partner turned 31 a few weeks back and the day before her birthday I bought some candles and a cake. Went to the shops, grabbed a 3 and 1 and nice cake with floral patterns, went to the check out and the cashier then asked me if it was my daughter’s 13th birthday. Now, being a 25-year-old man I found this to be very upsetting so I went home immediately and moisturised. Not really related to lockdown but a story nonetheless.

Oh, I’ve also developed an unhealthy online chess habit. Didn’t think i was going to finish the EP because of it.

A good mate of mine had his appendix out.

What are you most looking forward to after this all blows over?

Can’t wait to go back to licking faces again. Miss that the most. Haha! Nah, I’m really looking forward to going back to work to be honest. Just chatting to folk every day and petting a doggo or two. And gigs of course but I think they’ll be one of the last things to resume, unfortunately. Really looking forward to less posts of banana bread and shaved heads.

Factory Settings is released on June 1st on all major streaming platforms. The tile track is available to stream now. In the meantime, you can check out (or even buy a copy if you’re that way inclined) Barbe Rousse’s debut album Misc. Muses over here.

It’s a new year, and not to let the dust settle for too long after our Curdle release we’ve penned the ink on releasing another wonderful record…

To kick off 2020 in style, we will be releasing Bossy Love’s debut album: Me + U on vinyl! The band have had a busy 2019, between releasing their long awaited album in October, playing multiple festival slots, and being named as one of The Guardian’s Top 50 Artists to watch in 2020. Me + U was included in The Skinny’s Scottish Albums of 2019 and two Guardian writer’s albums of the year.

The LP will be out on February 5th and will be available from our bandcamp and record shops across the country. You can pre-order the record below:

We LOVE the record, so make sure you also check it out!

Today is the day! Curdle’s debut album is available NOW on vinyl and digital platforms.

You can buy the LP directly from our bandcamp below:

Or from the following independent record shops across Scotland (with more to come):

Monorail Music – Glasgow
Love Music – Glasgow
Some Great Reward – Glasgow
Underground Sol’ushnn – Edinburgh
Assai  – Edinbrugh
Assai – Dundee
Mo’Fidelity Records – Montrose

Of course as it’s not 1973 anymore it’s not all about the vinyl! The album is steaming on all major digital platforms: Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Tidal, you name it. All of which can be found here.

And of course the album launch is TONIGHT, grab ticket and vinyl bundles below to save some much needed pounds xo

We have got the pleasure of putting on American indie-poppers Cozy Slippers’ debut Glasgow show on as part of their first UK tour!

The Settle based trio have just released a lovely 7” single on German label Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten. The band self describe themselves as an “indie band using music to work out some issues and settle old scores.” which is something we can all relate to. Musically they bring the likes of Alvvays and The Bats to mind.

Joining them we have stars of our split single release (and new Last Night From Glasgow signings) Life Model and your new favourite band Aufbau Principle.

 

Not only that but it is free entry as always at the wonderful Bloc+ xo

We’ve been sitting on this one for a wee while so we are very happy to get it out there!

Double A-Side Records is proud to announce that on November 1st we will be re-releasing Curdle’s debut album. The album, previously released on CD, will be available on coloured vinyl and all digital platforms, complete with a new artwork. Pre-order it below.

On that very same evening we’ll be venturing into The Flying Duck’s back room to celebrate a new addition to the family.

Joining Curdle we have:

Tongue Trap:
After having spent the summer playing festivals such as TRNSMT, Leith Late and Doune the Rabbit Hole, the now five piece Glasgow band have turned some heads since forming in 2015 as part of the Girls Rock School in Edinburgh.

Miserichord:
Solo project from Kaspar Hauser bassist. Minimal, mournful, warnings from a dark future. Julee Cruise on bad acid.

But there’s more! We’ll have Healthy playing your favourite gothy tunes to keep the party going. As always we’ll be hosting a raffle and this time all funds will be going to Extinction Rebellion.

Be sure to grab tickets now while you can: £5 Advance*/£7 OTD/£20 Advance Ticket & Vinyl Bundle.*

We’ll see you there xo

*subject to booking fee

We are proud to announce that we have signed the PRS Foundation’s Equalising Music pledge.

We are pledging to achieve gender equality across our roster and gig line ups. Our co-founder Alicja Tokarska had this to say about us signing this pledge:

“We feel that signing the Keychange Pledge is necessary to highlight the issue of gender bias which is still present in the music industry in 2019. Far too often women are not given chances in favour of their male counterparts, especially in terms of performing their music live and headlining shows and festivals. We want to contribute to creating a more equal world where male, female and non-binary musicians and industry professionals can enjoy the same opportunities.”

But what is Keychange? It is a campaign that has been set up by the PRS Foundation to “transform the future of music whilst encouraging festivals to achieve a 50:50 gender balance by 2022.” To find out more, check out their full manifesto. They have now expanded to inviting venues, labels and organisations across the music industry in general to join the campaign. As Primavera Sound has proven, it is possible – this year had an amazing gender balanced line up, branded as The New Normal. As it should be.