Unlike so many Scottish Americana bands – and there are many of them – The Galipaygos have a terrible name and a real grasp of Appalachian style picking: behind the apparent poppy gloss of ‘Shift Patterns’ or the folky ‘Man About the House’ there is a rippling, shimmering background of acoustic guitar or banjo. Perhaps being based in Inverness rather than Glasgow has made them understand what country is really about.
Of course, there is nothing original here: the trick in this sort of music is not to create new forms but to polish and consolidate the tradition. They rock out on ‘Don’t Start a Band’, capture the pastoralism of The Grateful Dead on ‘Goodbye City’, impersonate a melancholic – and slightly sexist – Neil Young on ‘Man About the House’. Each song is clear, articulate and a perfect example of its genre. There is good humour, mild sarcasm and a sharp-tongued break-up song or two, all performed at a steady clip and with a winning warmth.
A few stand out tracks aside – ‘Oh For A Rail’ has a swirling organ that ups the intensity and ‘Pickin’ Fishes’ takes on a Jack Rose raga rattle- The Demise hits its groove early and holds it: not too funky, not too adventurous but consistently engaging and smelling of good country earth.