With such a crowded gig calendar, it can be hard choosing which live acts to spend you money on. Maybe you've never heard of the bands playing; maybe you've heard their name, but haven't listened to any songs yet; conversely, maybe their back catalogue is so large you don't know where to start. Luckily for you, Time Out is on the case: what follows are the five best songs from the five best artists gigging in Edinburgh this month. Use it to jog your memory, or to get introduced to something completely unfamiliar - you might just find your new favourite band.
Laura Marling - The Caves, Wed Feb 4
A super-intimate date for Marling to preview her forthcoming fifth album ‘Short Movie’, considering last time she was here she filled the Usher Hall. The title track is the better of the two songs revealed so far (the other is ‘False Hope’), a slow-building, swooning crescendo of firmly-hit acoustic guitar, strings and sweariness. Expect to hear more new material if you have a ticket.
Gaz Coombes – Pleasance Theatre, Tue Feb 10
Sometime Supergrass japester-in-chief Coombes returns with his second solo album ‘Matador’, showing off a mature sound which fuses his well-known pop songwriting ability with the feel of mid-period Radiohead. This was the lead release and it’s one of the album’s stand-out tracks, a muted wash of guitar and electronics propelled into choral, anthemic territory by Coombes, who played most of the parts on the album himself.
Django Django - Liquid Room, Sun Feb 15
Unveiling new material from their forthcoming second album, the first since 2012’s eponymous debut, ex-Edinburgh College of Art students Django Django return to their old stomping ground for an intimate date. ‘First Light’ is the comeback track, a reserved five minutes of electro-psych which is warm and inviting.
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Corn Exchange, Thu Feb 19
The reverb-infatuated East Kilbride indie-rockers began the 30th anniversary tour of their debut album ‘Psychocandy’ early, and so good were the notices from last autumn’s dates that they’re back for more through 2015. ‘Never Understand’, three minutes of surf-influenced vocals the squalling aural menace, gives you a clue what to expect.
The War on Drugs - Usher Hall, Sat Feb 28
The recorded vehicle of sometime Kurt Vile collaborator Adam Granduciel (pictured above) broke into the mainstream in 2014 with the third album ‘Lost in the Dream’, an open-hearted selection of anthems in the vein of The National or Future Islands, as composed by Granduciel while he was suffering from depression following its 2011 predecessor ‘Slave Ambient’. ‘Under the Pressure’ is a standout among many.
