Ö÷²¥´óÐã

Welcome to the storm of Welsh noise, with occasional cloudbursts of transcendent beauty, that constitutes this week's programme.

Rather enamoured with the example set by last week's quickfire feast of Welsh artists I had never played before, I've again left the focus fully on the music. I hardly talk at all. And I'm beginning to enjoy the silence. Depeche Mode were onto something. Maybe I should wear more S&M gear?

So, we get to veer all over Wales from Cardiff (The Method's horn-singed grit pop) to Camarthenshire (Trwbador reimagine a pastoral Cornelius - to great effect), from Swansea (Taint's mountainous and breathtaking album title track) to Denbigh (Recognise You's plaintive heart filled with spider webbed guitars).

Elsewhere, the godfather of the Welsh underground, Alan Holmes, reminds us of the long seam of intriguing experimental music-making that stretches behind cult Bangor hero Gary Cut. I'm glad I didn't try and describe him like that last night. Tired mouths have a habit of dropping in unexpected consonants. Lucky escape.

A man called Ben imports inspiration in from over the border - just so we know where, exactly, to set the bar. Undoubtedly high, this week, with a prime piece of Shadows from the period before Hank Marvin forgot to turn the gain up and aim his artfully chosen notes at the craniums of the crazed kid cats.

An endless purgatory on a lake bereft of dayglo metaphors awaits me. This show's musical riches should keep me distracted for a while, at least.

Please send demos (high quality .mp3s, please) for the show to: themysterytour@gmail.com with a short biography and a contact number.

Please also check out the , where you'll find an expanding source of info on key Welsh musical releases and events. Feel free to contribute by mailing your own to the address above.

This coming Friday and Saturday, the Welsh Music Foundation celebrates its 10th birthday at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff. I'm chairing a seminar called Radio Heads that aims to advise Welsh artists/labels and music people the best route to get their music on the radio. The panel features Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing's Bethan Elfyn; Town and County Broadcasting's Ben Evans (responsible for Nation Radio); Head of Music at Xpress Radio, Daniel Potts; Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Wales' editor Steve Austins, and me. So if you're interested in signing up for this FREE seminar that should be able to give you advice on all different aspects of music radio, register at the Welsh Music Foundation's website.

The WMF's 10th birthday celebration also includes a couple of amazing free gigs. Future of the Left/We Are Animal and Exit International perform, again for FREE (on a first come, first served basis) at the Millennium Centre on Friday night - Spencer McGarry Season, Jonathan Powell and El Goodo are responsible for the entertainment on the Saturday evening. I hope you can come down for one, or both, and join in this celebration of Welsh talent and ingenuity.

And I'm off to see play at the Roadhouse in Manchester on Tuesday night. It's their first headlining tour. And the gigs are FREE. See the above link for more information.

There's a lot going on.

It's making my fingers tired.

Have an excellent, music-thrilled week.

See you next Sunday for a lot of noise from Bastions.

love,

Adam

(Cardiff) Whip Around

(Swansea) Onwards

(Wrexham) Defbox (live At Reading Festival)

(Swansea) Pleasant Valley Sunday Estate

(Newport) Eighteen

(Camarthenshire/Cwmbran) Off Beat

(Cardiff) Microblog

(Llanrwst) Picwach

(Cardiff/Aberystwyth) Draw

(Neath) Love Part II

(Cardiff label) Weapons Of War

(Benllech) Box

(Anglesey) Soar

(Bangor) Real Power

(Wrexham) Brown Eyes

(Cardiff gig) Back To The F**k Yeah

(Bangor) I'm A Dancer

(Swansea) All Bees To The Sea

(Pontypool) B33p!

(Cardiff) Live At Reading For Bethan Elfyn

(Cardiff) Novachord

EFA (Pwllheli) Following The Sun

(Barry) Genik Riddim

(Newport) Debauchery And Revel

(Llanrwst) Undegpump (album Version)

(Cardiff) Salute It

(Cardiff) Mercurial

(Cardiff) Dig Way Down

(Bangor) Return To Undersea Adventure

(Bangor) Shapeshake

(Llanberis) Equinox

(Wrexham) The Demon's Tail

RECOGNISE YOU (Denbigh)+ Saturday

(Bangor) Visitors Of The Mind

(Anglesey/Llanfairfechan/Ruthin/Bangor) Weeve Got Our Own Thing Going On (tom Ellis Love Song Edit)

(Cardiff) Red Rocket

(Cardiff) Y Chromosome

(Mold) I Don't Want To See You Like This

(Cardiff) The Only Life I Know

THE SHADOWS The Rise And Fall Of Flingal Bunt

(Cardiff) The United States South Seas Exploring Expedition