The Muldoons formed in Paisley back in the early ’90s, quickly amassed a small but dedicated following from local shows, and then quietly faded away without releasing anything. Destined for the occasional footnote in the annals of post-C86 Glasgow jangle-pop would be about what you’d expect. But the band made a surprising comeback in 2017 and eventually recorded an incredibly long-awaited debut in 2020, ‘Made For Each Other’. Those songs were chiselled from those the band made their name with almost 30 years earlier, but for album number two they’ve wiped the slate clean and written a fresh batch.
Given the intervening years, this album unsurprisingly concerns itself with themes of time, the complexities of growing older and how to navigate relationships both familial and romantic. The latter is the running thread of ‘We Saw The View’, as singer Gerry Mullen sways between forlorn despondency at a failed relationship and quiet joy at life’s small victories.
Sometimes the self-pity feels too bitter and threatens to juxtapose the upbeat, trumpet-aided rhythms. “You don’t want me…you don’t love me any more” gives an immediate shot of sad sack syndrome on ’27 Year Itch’, though the surrounding melodies distract from the startlingly blunt depiction of a stagnating relationship. ‘You’ll See’ commits the grave sin of spitefully claiming that the person leaving you will never have it better and ‘Hours And Hours’ wonders why their significant other isn’t speaking to them (perhaps the previous song can provide some answers).
But it isn’t all doom and gloom, even when the “sky is charcoal-grey… I think of you and it makes it seem okay.” It’s a small, tender moment of relief, which could be well-imagined on a wintry Paisley day. The smooth, languid guitar work and steady rhythms of bass and drum are warm and never abrasive, Greg Bolland’s trumpet work could feel horned in, but his subtle lines never draw attention away from the whole. ‘The Hill’ contains the album title, and with it a perfect example of the wide-eyed sincerity that the band do so well. “We climbed the hill and saw the view… she said ‘kiss me.’” There’s no artifice obscuring these recollections and the emotions they conjure speak to a keen sense of taking pleasure in simply being present.
‘We Saw The View’ flits between hope and folly but only reveals its hand in the closer, Audacity, when the narrator is blinded by beauty and we see the spark that began the seemingly doomed relationship. The up-strummed chords are practically ska and the feeling of endless possibility is naively endearing. We’ve already seen the doldrums, but by finishing at the start The Muldoons suggest that a fractured love doesn’t need to be defined by its demise – a mixture of memory and imagination can shift focus and upend a neatly depressing linear progression. Don’t overthink it; enjoy the ride.
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