Tromolo (label)
25 October 2010 (released)
23 October 2010
Glimmering and shimmering, bright-eyed pop with a lot more class than many – this is up with bands like the Scissor Sisters and Ting Tings in the way that they introduce depth and ‘difficult’ concepts into what is essentially a lightweight structure.
Tracks like ‘Virgin, Mother, Psycho, Whore’ have an insistent rhythm and knowing vocals and you can fully understand why Scottish heavyweights like Ian Rankin and Alex Kapranos have thrown their weight behind the band while they have also been getting fanmail from Madonna and Gordy Goudie. The little girl lost voice in ‘We Are The Scum’ apes Blondie at their best and the refrain should have the entire audience singing along – wouldn’t that be a blast!
They aren’t doing anything completely original but what they do is completely compelling; the mix of electro-rhythms and the flattened vocals has been done before but something about this album – probably the quality of the writing – keeps you listening from track to track and then going back to the beginning to doi it all over again.
Songs of the quality of ‘Closed My Eyes’ or ‘History’ are not common, nor is the musicianship in evidence and the superb production by Bal Cooke and Louise Quinn.
Not obvious and not ‘populist’ but superb and absolutely believable.
