Tuesday 11 December 2018

'Look good in cheap clothes' reviewed

A great review of the new album courtesy of Mike at Cambridge Music Reviews! Here's his thoughts in full...

"This excellent third full-length LP from Cambridge four-piece The Scissors pushes their sound into new territory musically and features words and ideas that chime with modern day concerns…
1. Plug Me In Kicking off with a chord from the soundtrack of a western, the sinister guitar of the verses is balanced by the organ-drenched chorus and it all ends very abruptly.
2. Parking Cars More of a rocker, driven by a pulsing bass riff. Not sure how the title line fits in but it is certainly catchy ‘…parking cars…you got to do it right…’ 3. Death Engineer A moody song about built-in obsolescence, suggesting that it is the responsibility of the title character. Around this lyrical resignation a Doors-sounding electric piano and rolling cymbals ominously threaten.
4. Look Good In Cheap Clothes A surreal monologue, spoken by frontman Stewart Harris as the band play freely with the structures and sonic textures. This is a companion to the disturbing artwork of the album front cover (which itself brings to mind the notorious Beatles ‘Yesterday And Today’ sleeve?)
5. I Dream In X-Ray Vision In case you thought the Scissors of old had disappeared this impressive track is a pounding reminder of their trademark sound, with unrelenting unified riff, dissonant guitar and even the theremin gets a look-in. The lyric of course has enough ambiguity and imagery to satisfy the diehard fan.
6. Edgelands Picking up the ‘edge of the world’ theme from the end of the previous song, this loose psychedelic americana is echoing and atmospheric, driven by a roving guitar and accordion.
7. When Is A Boy Not A Boy? A cinematic, sweeping track; a guitar solos plaintively over exciting drumming weaving in with a strong vocal performance.
8. Ufotopia This mid-tempo song is the longest on the album and features a subtly uplifting band sound with the questioning and resigned reflections from the narrator. A guest saxophone solo steals the show at the end.
BONUS TRACKS9. Glossy Magazines (EP ‘b’-side) This noisy staple of their live set is given a more introspective feel here, piling on the paranoia as the music moves in all sorts of unpredictable directions.
10. Electric Line Terminus (EP ‘b’-side) Another previous release and storming live track, this again has a Doors feel, a sort of doom-laden cataclysm of blues-based garage rock."

Friday 7 December 2018

New album released!

Our new album is out! Get it from German Shepherd Records' Bandcamp page (or most of the usual digital/streaming outlets).
You can order a CD from the Bandcamp page if you prefer physical media.

Tuesday 4 December 2018

Look good, look cheap! New album on 7 December

Nearly there! Our new album 'Look good in cheap clothes' is out on 7 December on German Shepherd Records; with a launch party on 6 December at the Cornerhouse, Cambridge (FREE ENTRY)! CDs will be available on the night!

Says Bob at German Shepherd...
"Cambridge’s highly regarded band The Scissors return with a brand new album replete with their signature swirling keyboard-fuelled psych-pop, horrorshow freakbeat guitars and new wave post-punk basslines. Titled “Look Good In Cheap Clothes” the 7th December release shows a real development from its popular predecessor “Haunted Mirror”. With a dazzling mix of garage punk, otherworldly pop, and some new explorations the band demonstrate a significant shift in their sound whilst retaining the core of their alternative take on music."

Tuesday 2 October 2018

German Shepherd Records' new subscription service!

Our lovely record label German Shepherd Records will shortly be launching a subscription service! A great way to get your paws on LOADS of amazing music for a ridiculously cheap fee! Here's more...

'We will be launching a subscription option for our Bandcamp releases in the very near future.
With our subscription, you can get ALL of our new releases for just £40 a year (less than a pound a week!), while supporting our label and our roster of great artists directly. Given we release over 40 items a year this is a great value for money choice.
German Shepherd is owned, operated and funded by us, on a not for profit basis We pride ourselves on being grass-roots, DIY and artist-focused. We started in 2014 and have been slowly growing a fan base and getting the support of a selection of friendly DJs and bloggers who feature what we do.
However changes in the music industry, and price increases, have made it harder than ever for small labels like ours to stay in business in today’s climate. Your subscription will directly help us to continue releasing great music and in turn support some of the best underground artists out there.
When you subscribe you’ll get a load of great music and special offers
  • All our new releases will be automatically added to your Bandcamp account and available to download
  • A selection of 10 items from our back catalogue will be completely free when you sign up
  • There will be Special releases which are only available to subscribers – they will not be sold anywhere else
  • There will be special discounts for subscribers on gig tickets, merch and other material
  • There will be subscriber only blog updates from us, regular artist updates, exclusive demo material/live recordings and behind-the-scenes stuff
Watch out for the launch date!'

Tuesday 18 September 2018

Klub Kakofanney - again!

It's great to be asked back! We're returning to Oxford on Friday 5 October, to Klub Kakofanney at The Wheatsheaf, Oxford, alongside a bunch of other great bands (The Knights of Mentis, Be Still, and Richie Stix and the Brain People)! Be there...

Tuesday 26 June 2018

KOLARS!

We're thrilled to be supporting KOLARS at the Portland Arms in Cambridge on 17 July!

KOLARS is a Los Angeles duo that blends rockabilly, disco, glam, and mod sounds with modern rock through minimal instrumentation: guitar and a tap-dancing drummer. As Rob Kolar sings and strums his rollicking guitar, Lauren Brown uses her whole body as a percussive instrument, tapping out the hi-hat rhythm with her feet atop a bass drum while simultaneously playing a stand-up kit, using dance to transform rhythms into natural extensions of her movement. It’s quite the workout and undeniably mesmerizing to watch.

Get tickets!

Look good in cheap clothes!

As revealed live on Stagger Indie last night, the next Scissors album will be called ‘LOOK GOOD IN CHEAP CLOTHES’ and will be out on German Shepherd Records towards the end of the year! (and t-shirts featuring the design below, related to the cover art, will be available soon!)
T-shirt design, by www.stewartharrisdesigns.com,

First chance to get your paws on one of the new t-shirts will be 17 July at the Portland Arms, Cambridge, where we'll be supporting the amazing KOLARS.

But you can also catch us live before then this coming weekend at Knackfest (Saturday 30 June, Karma Farm, Isleham Fen, Ely). We're on at 7pm, and you don't actually need to camp over to join the fun - just turn up and catch the set (it's free to get in though donations are welcome)!

Tuesday 5 June 2018

Strawberry Fair 2018 review

Pic by Adrian

Great review from Strawberry Fair by Cambridge Music Reviews... 
'Some years the event can be slow to get going but this time the weather brought out a substantial crowd early on, including an appreciative audience for The Scissors opening the Rebel Arts Stage at midday. After a decade at the forefront of the Cambridge scene they can still strike a pose and rip it up with the best of them, aided by a selection of their own fastest and loudest songs, including I thought an extra turning up of the blazing sound system to a volume beyond 11 halfway through the set. Having seen them recently in the confines of the Cornerhouse venue, their rich and hypnotic swirling sound easily steps up to an outdoor show.'

Read the full article



Wednesday 30 May 2018

Look out! Update from Scissor HQ, gigs and recording

Look out! There's lots going on at Scissors HQ right now... work continues apace on a new Scissors mini-album (shaping up to be an eight-song collection), which should be out hopefully towards the end of 2018. And gigs coming up! We're thrilled to be back at Strawberry Fair on 2 June (12pm, Rebel Arts Stage), and at Knackfest, Karma Farm in Isleham Fen on 30 June. Also just confirmed is a REALLY exciting gig with a great band in mid July that we'll tell you about shortly! So keep 'em peeled!

Tuesday 24 April 2018

Video of full set from Cambridge Cornerhouse, 19 April 2018


Incase you missed it (or if you want a reminder), you can now watch our full set from last week's Cornerhouse gig, captured via GoPro (with audio from a Zoom recorder).
Setlist: Sjhake! Phone calls from the dead No go the lowdown I dream in X-ray vision Glossy magazines Electric line terminus Lucy for London Do you believe in modern love? Why don’t you cry? Skylon Your house has ghosts

Tuesday 20 March 2018

It's never too late to Sjhake!

Our three-track EP 'Sjhake!' is still available via those lovely German Shepherd Records people! Sjhake (from award winning album Haunted Mirror) is joined by Electric Line Terminus and Glossy Magazines. Get it digitally from German Shepherd's Bandcamp page, or from all the usual digital/streaming outlets...

19 April alt-rock night, Cambridge Cornerhouse!

We're thrilled to be back at the Cornerhouse again with some mighty Cambridge bands of the alt-rock flavour! Our good friends Bouquet of Dead Crows, who are busy recording their new album, plus the fabulously tuneful Shyer, who are definitely a band to watch!

It's 19 April at ye good olde Cornerhouse, Newmarket Road...

Wednesday 14 February 2018

Back at the Cornerhouse (with Wild Hope and Goldblume)!


We're back at The Cornerhouse, Cambridge soon! With the fantastic Wild Hope and a special acoustic set from the mighty Goldblume! And it's free entry... so put 10 March in your diary and get ready with your garage-psych dancing socks!

Tuesday 9 January 2018

Oxford, we're coming for you!

We're thrilled to be bringing the Scissors sound to Oxford soon! On Friday 2 February we're playing at Klub Kakofanney, at The Wheatsheaf, supporting Fracture, with Restucture and Be Still. It's gonna a great night!