The opening strains of ‘The Shape of Things To Come’ by Edinburgh’s OK Social Club tells you everything you need to know – they’re taking the happier, poppier elements of Scottish music, from Bis to Dananananaykroyd, and they’re updating them for the 21st century.
The debut single from the band, there’s certainly promise on show here. It’s nothing life changing – but then again, whose debut single is these days? – but it is most certainly enjoyable fare from a young band. ‘Shape of Things To Come’ brims with energy, and even shows a nice change of pace as the song moves towards its close, with a singalong coda that should get even the most jaded of gig-goers singing along.
The single is backed up by ‘Twist, Learn, Kick and Scream and ‘Twisted Young Gentlemen’. ‘Twist, Learn, Kick and Scream’ is pretty standard b-side fare, a nice song, but nothing to really take notice of. ‘Twisted Young Gentlemen’, however, is the real hidden gem of this three-track collection. An end-of-night song that bookends the single nicely – opener ‘The Shape of Things To Come’ sings: “What did I do last night/How did I end up here” whilst closer ‘Twisted Young Gentlemen’ says: “And now/All that’s left/Are photographs/And battle scars”.
All in all, ‘The Shape of Things To Come’ is a decent debut single. ‘Twist, Learn, Kick and Scream’ is the only song that doesn’t leave much of an impression, but the other two songs show that there’s certainly promise, and if this is The Shape of Things To Come from The OK Social Club, then maybe it’s worth keeping an ear to the ground.