A quick Google search will teach you a whole host of fascinating facts about Dumbarton. The Cutty Sark was built there, William Wallace was imprisoned there and it was briefly home to chief Talking Head David Byrne. The history books show a huge musical void between Byrne heading west to the USA and the present day. Tonight, however, might yet be a sign that this will change sooner rather than later.
Almost six months to the day since I witnessed their first Glasgow show, The Strike Nineteens find themselves headlining to an almost full house at the ABC. Quite an impressive rise from Maggie Mays in April and one which, on tonight’s form at least, seems entirely merited.
Limiting their set to just ten songs the band kick off with ‘Fall Down Dead’, a glorious piece of grandiose power pop stomp complete with synthesised horns. Cheesy? Perhaps, but a gloriously uplifting way to announce your arrival all the same.
Second song ‘Delicate’ is introduced as their debut single and has apparently been produced by Gordy Goudie from Echo and The Bunnymen. As an unsigned act this is hugely indicative of a band who are on an entirely upward trajectory. ‘Delicate’ is a stunning song which conjures images of Prefab Sprout’s finer moments and will hopefully bring the band to a wider audience upon its release in December.
Three songs in and with the casual swagger of confidence, the band elect to give ‘Screams For Denver’ a debut live airing to the delight of the large partisan crowd. Next comes the angst-ridden tale of drunken loneliness that is ‘Empty Faces At Closing Time’, a dark tale of late night coupling and the subsequent morning-after bout of self loathing. Other tracks flash by in an instant as the band gives the crowd everything they have come for.
The standout tracks are ‘You Don’t Love Me’ (which might yet do for the band what Chelsea Dagger did for The Fratellis), ‘Changes’ with its soaring keyboards, the lush beauty of their debut single ‘Delicate’ and the “balls out” sheer indulgence of set-closer ‘High’.
Whilst the sound of the band could be considered a little derivative, with a variety of obvious influences on display, they somehow manage to use this to their advantage. At different points you can hear homage being paid to U2, Coldplay, Midnight Oil, Prefab Sprout, and not surprisingly, Talking Heads.
How far the band go is obviously down to the capricious nature of a notoriously fickle record-buying public. On the evidence of tonight though, any failure to capture the public imagination will not be down to any lack of talent, drive or commitment. One to look out for in 2009.