This is a pedigree project, with involvement from some of the best Scottish musicians over the decades, and released via the mighty Creeping Bent organisation. Looks like Douglas McIntyre has done most of the work bringing this together but other musical associates like Davey Henderson and Vic Goddard make guest appearances.
There are ten tracks, starting with the largely instrumental (and earlier released as a single) ‘Fast Boys and Factory Girls’ – at over five minutes it is a statement of intent, chugging along with some guitar effects pedal action and wobbly synth lines.
Highlights are ‘The Lane’, (Henderson and Goddard on vocals), with a big production, crashing drums, a timeless melody and a great chorus…) and ‘Orient Express’ which is just a gorgeous song (James Kirk on vocals), harmonies, guitar licks, the lot – amazing!
The tones of Jock Scot are resurrected for ‘Alex Discord’, an intense and creepy track which references SAHB’s ‘Faith Healer’ amid squalls of feedback and electronic beats… an eight minute epic, not exactly labelled “12 inch mix” but sounding very much like it…
‘Red Star’ has Alan Vega on vocals, an electronic track which has the Suicide man’s trademark whoops and hollers, very nice indeed.
BM has not quite worked out all the various vocalists and musicians involved but this is a great piece of musical work, giving (shall we say) older musicians and collaborator an opportunity to do their stuff, and it sounds fresh, really fresh…
Betty Mayonnaise