SATURDAY’S SCOTTISH SONG : #265: RANDOLPH’S LEAP

From the band’s website:-

Randolph’s Leap are a Glasgow-based musical project ranging from a solo act to an eight-piece band. Nairn-born Adam Ross and friends have been making pop music for unpopular people since 2010.

Randolph’s Leap began releasing music via DIY labels in 2010. Their first full album release came in 2014 when Lost Map unveiled Clumsy Knot, an engrossing patchwork of jubilant brass-filled chamber pop and tender low-key folk. This was followed up in 2016 with Cowardly Deeds on Olive Grove Records, a noisy full-band album recorded in a remote farmhouse, while 2018 brought Worryingly Okay, a return to the fuzzy, lo-fi folksinger style of Adam’s most early recordings. Adam has also recently toured Scotland, providing music for ‘The Isle of Love’, a successful 5-star reviewed theatre show inspired by lyrics from the band’s extensive back catalogue.

2020 saw Adam cement his reputation as one of Scotland’s most prolific songwriters, releasing over 40 home-recorded songs via Bandcamp and Patreon as a creative response to Covid-19 restrictions. He also released an album of country-pop music under the pseudonym A.R. Pinewood.

Recent years have seen the band curate a series of sell-out music and comedy events in Glasgow titled ‘I Can’t Dance To This Music’, record repeat sessions on BBC 6Music and perform across the UK, including as tour support for James Yorkston (Domino Records) and Canadian band The Burning Hell.

I’ve been lucky enough to catch Randolph’s Leap in the live setting on many an occasion, back in the pre-COVID days when gigs were allowed, and can honestly say that I’ve never come away feeling less than euphoric, such is the energy and talent on show.  I’ve mentioned them previously a few times on the blog – you can go read all the past articles by clicking on this link (also available direct via the ‘Categories’ section) and as you’ll likely have worked out, I’ve most of the back catalogue on either vinyl or CD, including much of the DIY material from the early days. I’ve long thought about pulling together an ICA.  It’s something I’ll likely get round to at some point, unless there’s any other fans out there who fancy giving it a go.

mp3: Randolph’s Leap – Up In Smoke

In the meantime, the above track was the one chosen to preview the most recent album, Spirit Level, which came out back in February on Fika Recordings, and which subsequently sold so well that a re-press is currently in hand for anyone wanting to pick it up on vinyl.

JC