Scottish albums

Sucioperro

Pain Agency
Maybe

This is the second full-length effort from this Ayr three-piece. It’s the sort of album where the amount of graft put into it shows very clearly. more… “Sucioperro”

Jack Butler

Fit the Paradigm
Whimsical

Clearly a band with a lot of fun about them, Stirling four piece Jack Butler’s debut album Fit the Paradigm is a whirl of jaggy riffs, manic drum beats, harmonious vocals and well, shouting. more… “Jack Butler”

The Starlets

Out Into The Days From Here
Stereotone

Has anyone come up with the genre post-pop yet? Can I commandeer it? Because, seriously, trying to pin this down has been difficult. The Starlets third long player takes all the dreamy ethereality(?) of post-rock and underpins it with stonking pop songs. Imagine Sigur Ros with a fine line in toe tapping sing along numbers. Now, imagine it’s better than that sounds.

From the opening title track with it’s tripped out wish-upon-a-star stylings you know we’re in for something unique here. Then we’re onto Running Out Of Saturday Night a tragically wistful tale of careering round looking for the heart of the night only to find yourself watching the sunrise from the gutter. Or something. Maybe should’ve read the lyric sheet, but it’s so not needed here.

What The Starlets do here is create beautiful abstract collages with sumptuous arrangements that just drag you in and along with them. It’s lush and effortless (pay attention Broken Records). Not to suggest that it’s all floaty gorgeousness like In Excelcis Grace or the monumental (and wonderfully titled) Crashing Down The Hurry Slope. No, there’s a bunch of power-pop stompers in here. Delivered in a wash of fuzzed-out guitars.

So, dreamy glam metal string action…erm… Just get it and play it really bloody LOUD (always a good thing). It’s immersive and spectacular.

It may be as far removed from the current neo-folk thing that’s doing the rounds just now as dubstep, but, surely, being unable to pigeon-hole something is a trait we should be celebrating? Out Into The Days From Here is a fine addition to a roll-call of excellent Scottish albums so far this year that suggests there’s something interesting going on up here again.

The Starlets - Out Into the Days from Here Download via iTunes

Projekt A-ko

Yoyodyne
Milk Pie

Isn’t it amazing just how much terrific new music there is out there? Unfortunately, so much of it passes under the radar for one reason or another, but it’s so exciting to hear a ‘local’ band produce an album of such quality that in a rather obscure way, you are happy for them to be your own little secret. more… “Projekt A-ko”

Camera Obscura

My Maudlin Career
4AD

This has to be one of my most longed for releases of the year and this does not disappoint one iota. The follow-up to 2006’s Let’s Get Out Of This Country, Camera Obscura’s fourth album is finally here. Recorded once again with Swedish producer Jari Haapalainen in Sweden, it’s another fantastic album from the band responsible for the best album of 2006.

Whilst there are still people who keep comparing them to Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura prove here once and for all that they are standing in no-one else’s shadow and are firing on all cylinders. There’s the familiar touch of melancholy, and even more of a country and soul influence across the album, as a whole.

First single ‘French Navy’ was, according to lead singer Tracyanne Campbell a song she wrote for Al Green to sing. I think he’d like it. The title track also features Abba’s grand piano, which is appropriate, as Camera Obscura are one of the few bands who can do sad like Abba could.

In her notes, Tracyanne Campbell talks about the relationship difficulties she’s had that have influenced this album lyrically. But you don’t feel like a voyeur listening in and reading these, rather privileged that she’s sharing it with you. And whilst there is a Camera Obscura ’sound’ emerging, tracks like ‘James’ show that there are more, new ideas.

Don’t rush the follow-up guys, on this evidence, it’s been worth the wait.

Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career Buy from iTunes

Rhubarb

Anthology 98-08
Rhubarb Music

This two disc anthology contains tracks from 15 albums recorded by Richard Haswell between 1998 and 2008 more… “Rhubarb”