Nine in the Afternoon

My weekly music podcast is on the 109th edition this week. The four tracks I've selected to play are all new. This is a clear indication of how vibrant the local scene has become. At least that's how I see it, even if two of the recordings I've included don't really originate from Malta.

The opening song is the new one from Fraser Gregory. It's called Let It Rain and comes with a video on YouTube too. Apparently Fraser is now firmly anchored in London gigging at various small venues. I wish the listings on his MySpace page were up to date. Perhaps he's just too busy making music.

Keeping it Maltese abroad, the second song comes from Maltese-Australian singer-songwriter Luke Caruana, better known as Carra. He has recently released a new single entitled Gaia, apparently inspired by his 2007 visit to Malta. It's worth noting that Carra's band features a Maltese-Australian drummer by the name of J.J. Portelli. It sure is a small world.

Back on the rock centre of the universe, the gravitational pull of the alternative music scene these days seems to be at the Poxx Bar in Paceville. This weekend nosnow/noalps played two gigs there. Last night they appeared sandwiched between Cable 35 and BNI. Tonight they're supporting the Beangrowers as they launch their new album Not In a Million Lovers, which was featured on this podcast last month. To celebrate what seems to be the hardest working band on the Maltese music scene, you can hear Lights On from the nosnow/noalps EP (just rock), which was released last February.

This week's podcast comes to a close with what is undoubtedly one of the heaviest new bands in Malta: Dying Signals. They made their live debut last summer Slit and Ktinodia. Earlier this year they started recording their first CD at Splitter Studio entitled The Last Of A Dying Breed. They've just released some demos from these session and I've picked Neglected for my podcast. Hardcore metal is an acquired taste and I must admit that after some years I seem to have come to like it more than I thought I ever would. I think it's at least as entertaining as watching anything else that doesn't normally happen on a quiet Sunday morning.

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