 Certain bands/albums have the stigma of 'hype' thrust upon them and yet so rarely over the years do we get to bask in the glory of it actually being true and not some ploy by the record label to try to take over the world and realise the dream of living in a volcano hideout. Well in Glasvegas we have found one such band who not only live up to the 'hype' but transcend it by making one of the greatest debut albums to come out of this planet, because there is not enough 'hype' in this world to do Glasvegas justice.
From the opening throb 'n' hum of 'Flowers And Football Tops' your plunged into the trenches where Phil Spector is conducting the soundtrack to our times tackling themes such as knife crime (Flowers..), bullying (Go Square Go), social work (Geraldine), and seasonal affective disorder (SAD Light) and you feel it, it all resonates with what we see in our everyday lives (not just the tabloids). Songwriter James Allen (in full glaswegian brogue) has tapped directly into the vein of society and through his lyrics he resontes the feeling of loss and desperation that has gripped this country and it's even more apparent now in the current climate of mortgage crises and job losses.
Of course the lyrics are the essential ingredient of this album they could be spoken word and would still impact but Glasvegas have shaped music around it that though instantly reminds you of the likes of Phil Spector, The Jesus And Mary Chain, and My Bloody Valentine, it also has a freshness and almost modern take on that sonic sound. Opener 'Flowers And Football Tops' cascades gently into view before erupting into "Baby's" and "Whoah-Whoah's" painting the scene of a young-boy murdered in Glasgow in 2004 and the pain of his family dealing with it. The song is made all the more poinant by it's refrain of 'You Are My Sunshine'. There is no pause before it descends into 'Geraldine' a song no doubt familiar to everyone by now, and yet strangely uplifting after the opener despite it's subject matter.
You almost doubt that the band can keep up this pace but 'It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry' is possibly the best thing here, a song about relationships and the trouble our own insecurities can make for us. With it's driving drum beat and crescendo ending again it lifts your spirits despite the lyrical content clearly not built for this purpose. It's a sign of Glasvegas and their importance that they can write tunes of despair that pull you up and dust you off ready to face the world again.
If you have seen Glasvegas live then 'Go Square Go' will be as familiar to you as cornflakes for breakfast, with it's anthemic chorus that echoed across fields this summer. And 'Daddys Gone' will also have raced across the airwaves propelling it to the status usually reserved for an Oasis ballad though you won't catch a Gallagher singing about absent fathers.
Possibly the most unsettling moment on the album is 'Stabbed' set to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata it's a haunting tale of life in Glasgows troubled areas and the constant threat of violence around every corner. It's almost hard to put into words the impact this song has for the album although it carries on the trend of content the music is so out of place it's frightening especially with it's nursery rhyme ending (another theme that runs throughout, try and spot the references).
All in all this album more than justifies the 'hype' and much more, i could be accused of being biased being from Glasgow but this album effects you everytime you hear it, the hairs on your neck, arm, wherever will reach for the sky. Support this band and they will not let you down, not dissapoint you, and never desert you "when you're in your deep and darkest place around, may my words walk with you home safe and sound".
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| | | | Overall Rating | | 10 | | Vocals / Lyrics | | 10 | | Musicianship | | 8 | | Production | | 9 | | Creativity | | 8 | | Lastability | | 10 | | Reviewers Tilt | | 9 |
91% | |
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Glasvegas - Glasvegas [Album]
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Glasvegas Live Homecoming Gig Clip