This is State Broadcasters’ third album in 8 years, so they have been quite slow-happening.
Ironically a lot of the subject matter here is the passing of time, looking back at the past. The band comprise people who are known for playing in other bands, as is quite normal in the currently burgeoning Glasgow music scene, and the release is on Glasgow’s mighty Olive Grove Records. Pete MacDonald (Randolph’s Leap) leads on most tracks and is joined by Gillian Fleetwood (who takes some vocals), Cameron Maxwell, David McGinty and Susan Appelbe, with Stanley Odd’s drummer doing duties on the stool for some numbers.
It is maybe slightly more upbeat than their last effort but is wistful, expressive and slightly poised towards the past, maybe just reflecting the time of their, or other peoples’ lives.
First track ‘Break My Fall’ is piano-led, quite pastoral, with intro vocal “This time, I think I love you more than last time…” suggesting previous regrets, maybe youthful dalliances revisited, set to a chittering backdrop. The vocals are clear and annunciated, mid-paced, still yearning after all these years – it builds to a pretty percussive coda, and the soul-searching questions remain.
‘I’ll Sing with Ya’ is more upbeat, some distorted kid’s voice appearing at the start, and at the end, and in between a really solid melody about the joy of singing, a shout-out chorus as well. Like their best songs it builds, harp high the mix but also crashing drums, motoring piano and solid bass, a really satisfying combo and the overall effect is great – “if you’re lonely…”
‘Feelin’ Alive’ is a rose-tinted look back to 1984, “postcards all over the floor” (Christ this band cannae be auld enough to have been teenagers in 1984, did they ask their parents?) BM is sadly old enough to remember this era – “society’s dead…at least I think that’s what she said…” references Margaret Thatcher (“yer Dad lost his job'”) and asks “remember being young and in love for the first time..?” This is just a great song, nods to Postcard, possibly The Pastels as well. Being young and in love for the first time… and “we would go to war for the sake of a pop song…” Oh yes, readers, we would and we did, but that was then and this is now. If provoked, BM still would, and does, on a regular basis…
‘Cycle Home Drunk’ is (despite the title!) a bit more sophisticated, a nice set of repeated electronic beeps sounding as our hero gets his dynamos out for the girl and comes to her rescue… Is it unrequited love though, or being in a bus lane at the wrong time?
‘Folding’ sees a female vocal, (Gillian, BM assumes) on a slow percussionless, accordion or something similar-led track, reminiscing on the morning after, or something, very reflective.
‘Crap Village’ is a great village, and BM can think of a few, and the lyrics are delicious: “have a feeling this could be our last lunch” – oh dear. Bitchy, holding grudges but still holding onto the past, wonderful. Leave it now…
‘Brace Against The Cold’ is another piano-led gem, quiet and final – a bereavement of sorts…coming to terms, with lovely but simple playing.
‘The Girls From The Catholic School’ – well what an evocative title, and this is just such a playful scenario ‘in 1990’ – good times, a bit groovy, a bit naughty, subtle though and some great clicks and clunks make this one the danciest one on the album, pull back the chairs and go for it, but still evocative…
And ‘Let The Wolves Roam’ is very acoustic, just a piano plus duetting vocals (male and female) – all about closeness and intimacy ‘while the wolves roam outside’.
‘Ribbons’ has more piano and again no percussion, female vocal, quite dark, questioning, “How do I tell you?’ It broadens out into a beautiful instrumental set of flourishes and maybe reflects on memories, was everything better back then, within living memory of the band or further back, like FFS Betty actually bought records in the 70s, cannae admit what they were but…
An excellent album by a consistently great combo, BM just regrets having missed them live a few times recently.
Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be – or is it?