Glasvegas – Glasvegas
This is going to be another one of those confrontational reviews, isn’t it. I know that most of my regular readers – those who speak up anyway – really don’t like Glasvegas, but bollocks to you. So there.
I’m not about to turn around and announce this as earth-shattering, nor am I about to declare their unbridled genius, but a hefty chunk of this album is truly excellent stuff. The reverb-drenched racket is great to hear for starters, because I need something that makes an angry noise to break up the unending ocean of alt-folk stuff that I listen to most of the time. Someone needs to make a good old racket and write songs with growling guitars, and this album does a neat job of just that.
James Allan is a fucking good lyricist too. Not a sophisticated one but, despite the slightly mangled meter of some of his writing, it is impactful and I never feel like he is putting it on. The narrative of this record is direct, unaffected and normal. It is, to use that awful phrase, ‘real’. Obsessive jealousy, songs about getting your head kicked in and being pissed off at your dad – life isn’t all clever imagery and existential pondering, it’s like this for an awful fucking lot of people.
They’ve got ‘a look’, they’re quite trendy and the excitment around them is a bit off-putting, but I don’t get the impression that any of these guys are putting it on. I’m a cynical fucker too – I’d see it if it was there, I’m pretty sure. Again, it’s not sophisticated, and a couple of the songs on this album aren’t very good – Polmont on My Mind is a great song title, but I am not too enamoured with the song – but it doesn’t have to be Great to be great.
Basically, if I wasn’t aware of the fact that a lot of my readers don’t like this, I’d be writing about an album that’s slightly flawed, but is honest, affecting, boisterous and really enjoyable. I’d be saying things like ‘hey, they may not be the second coming, but these lads are a bloody good band’. I’d be saying ‘fucking hell, Flowers & Fitba Tops gives you a lump in the throat’. Instead I’ve foolishly written a whole review as if I have to defend these lads. I don’t. They’re good. End of.
this is prom music. pure and simple. marty mcfly would be proud of this. and that for me is a shame. cause I liked marty mcfly. but i don’t like this. it’s just a big pile of garbage. i wouldn’t even buy this from a second hand shop or for that matter even a charity shop.
i meant noisey prom music.
Prom music? You don’t watch a lot of American high school movies. The beat is far, far too slow for that. Marty McFly would never write anything this growly.
‘I don’t like this’ – fair enough. ‘Prom music’ – factually inaccurate.
I saw a profile of these guys the other night on one of those Channel 4 ‘yoof’ programmes. You know those TV shows aimed at teenagers with all the jump-cuts and slang and sloppilly-dressed charisma-free presenters.
same question applies to glasvegas as did with franz ferdinand – dressing like that, how did they survive in glasgow?
but seriously matthew – i added in the word “noisey” and yes, if you close your eyes, you could dance to this at a prom. no question. so not factually incorrect.
but you are right. i don’t like this. in fact, i like the kooks better.
That’s just ridiculous. The Kooks aren’t even better than Girls Aloud or fucking Limp Bizkit.
The biggest problem I might end up having with this music is if it gets co-opted by yobbos, which isn’t entirely unlikely. There’s nothing to take the fun out of music quite like a bunch of dickheads liking it, no matter how much integrity you try and have.
Prom music is American college rock with too much poppy guitar in the chorus bits and a big silly climax at about the time of the last chorus. That is not this.
I thought it sounded exactly how London record labels always want Scottish music to sound.
They seem to slot in nicely next to Simple Minds, Deacon Blue, Big Country etc.
Not to suggest they sound exactly like those bands – those bands don’t even sound like each other – but they all share a stereotyped ‘Scottish’ sound. There’s something in the guitars and the harmonies – I don’t know – it’s elusive but it’s there. And GlasVegas have bucketloads of it.
No wonder they’re appearing on Channel 4.
that’s not what I’m thinking of. I’m thinking of slow dance prom music – old skool proms – get your partner etc. I’ll bring you some vids – show you what you’re missing.
I like limp bizkit and girls aloud more than glasvegas then. and how is that ridiculous? i hear nothing interesting in these songs. i am bored before he opens his mouth.
oh i couldn’t agree more dylan. it’s like being back in the 80s. it’s a fad. it won’t last.
i like them.
it’s straightforward and it works. fair play to them i say.
it’ll be interesting to see how they develop musically (if at all) though in the future.
i think that’ll be the real test.
that and seeing if they survive the hype/backlash.
maybe i’m being too harsh cause i’m tired and it’s stuffy in the office. but it’s an album I will never be buying.
My knowledge of Glasvegas is limited to viewing 4 songs at Latitude, which were half ok, but then they played an excruciating cover of ‘You Are My Sunshine’ during which I believe I lost faith in music a bit. That ‘Go Square Go’ song does indeed remind me a bit of prom kings Fall Out Boy or other miscellaneous American emo rock.. but the fact it ends with the mother of all arsehole moron phrases ‘Here we fucking go’… I mean it’s almost as bad as the fact the drums are completely repetitive. At Latitude, she didn’t even have a drum stool. Just banging away on two floor toms 1-2, 1-2, 1-2.
Still, at least it’s not the Kaiser Chiefs.
if simple minds and the like don’t get massive record sales on the back of this then something is wrong with the world. i have nothing more to say on this band. my mum used to say “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”………..bit late, but put a fork in me, i’m done.
What is it about this Scottish sound though? Help me define it..
It’s only a handful of the commercially biggest bands that have it.. and now Glasvegas.. and It’s obviously something that big record companies know will sell truckloads of CDs to Mondeo Man.
I’m listening to Withered Hand now – they don’t have it, Meursault don’t have it, Broken Records don’t have it, The Kays Lavelle don’t have it.
(We all know Eagleowl just want to be Deacon Blue so we’ll leave them for now..)
But it’s definitely something that exists, right? It’s not my imagination.
Go Square Go sound like the Editors apart from the vocals – but i actually quite like some of their stuff. Daddy’s Gone was pretty good, poignant. I have to say though, his voice is starting to get on my nerves.
It will be interesting to see where they go, but i’m concerned it doesn’t have anywhere to go.
I’m a bit on the fence right now…..
i don’t know dylan. but i am willing to bet that glasvegas didn’t have it til they were picked up by a label that liked their songs and were then given it. bit like attic lights never used to sound like teenage fanclub til they were picked up and managed by a member of teenage fanclub. it’s amazing what happens when labels get involved – attic lights used to have pedal steel, beards, all played guitar – when I saw them at the liquid rooms the beards were gone, the pedal steel was gone, the lead singer didn’t play guitar as much…..they got given the sound they’ve got and i’d bet the same applies to glasvegas.
sorry – i said i was done – i just can’t help myself!
oh, and you know bart is the new ricky ross.
Do you think that’s what it is?
Big record labels always want to slather an identity all over anyone they sign, no matter where they’re from, that much is certainly true.
So you’re saying all (not all but many?) Scottish bands get put through a ‘Scottish Sound’ ® sausage machine in the studio that makes guitars sound like bagpipes and the whole thing sound like it was recorded on top of a windswept mountain in the Highlands somewhere.
Hmm.. Interesting.
Oh, and I don’t know about Ricky Ross, but Bart’s definitely a real gone kid.
he’s a ship called dignity.
and I don’t know for sure. i just knew attic lights before the pop sound drownded the more country influences. i also head about stylists etc – which is really bizarre.
izzy – are you working tonight? if so, can I get a free beer??
)
Ooh, more than my jobs worth!! Wait…. I’m the boss tonight, so, sure!
I’m so there.
My trusty free beer radar never lets me down.
I always thought ‘Free Beer’would be a great name for a band.
You can imagine the posters the pub would have to put up:
“TONIGHT! AT THE KING’S WARK IN LEITH! FREE BEER!!”
(Kidding about the free beer thing)
Glasvegas released their first couple of singles on tiny labels, or no label at all, and they sounded the same as they do now, albeit rougher. Obviously, I’ll always prefer the rougher to the smoother, and I do in their case, but they weren’t ‘given their sound’ by any stretch.
After this lot I’ll need a fucking pint too, Izzy. How much scope for spillage have you got?
Aaah!!! Don’t tell everyone! Sshh!
Everyone I know who’s dealt with a big label has been stylised though, so I’m not disagreeing with a large amount of your point. I think Glasvegas had that pretty sorted for themselves before the label turned up though.
Toad, I have to admit that Euan is spot on with his Prom Music analogy. It is Prom Music albeit arrived via the cathode ray vision of 1950s thru 1970s era USof. It’s The Marvelettes, The Shagri-Las, Ronettes, etc & so on, all squeezed through the electric crackle of The Jesus & Mary Chain (yes, they fucking are direct descendents) & a handful of other noiseniks/feedback jerks from the late 80s/early 90s.
It’s a hit & miss affair, to be sure, & I wonder how long they can sustain their own interest in the type of music they do (let alone retaining a fan base or contemporary greasers & squares). They’re even starting to cover songs that are either from the period they evoke or sound like they should be from that perios (Winehouse’s Back To Black, anyone?).
TWoTH is convinced this is J&MC copyism gone too far. But, I see this as a neat slice of (Spector-al) wall of sound throwback-ism.
I like it. Can’t say it will be a ‘go to’ album in the future, but tracks like Daddy’s Gone & Go Square Go will always float in & out of the compilation MP3 player mixlist.
Coincedentally, i was just listening to some really crap girl rap thing on the radio and my colleague suggested it sounded just like the tune of ‘Daddy’s Gone’. I wasn’t too convinced, but could see his point, maybe without the distinct voice and lyrics they are a bit generic?
&, Dylan… are you & Fisk related by any chance? That’s the sort of thing he does ALL the cocking time: that’s be a great name for a band… The Supporting Act etc & sofuckingon
thank you DC – at least somebody knows what I’m trying to say!!!! i wait for your apology matthew….:o)
as for tonight – i will be at the kings wark from 6.30pm should anyone wish to join me for a free…… I mean……..expensive beer.
and dylan – can your free beer radar pick up when there is free beer in a pub or does it take somebody who works in the pub saying – yes you can have free beer – for it to work???
You morons, Glasvegas totally rocks! They’re the reincarnation of the Replacements, the only “real” Prom Band to emerge from 80s American music. And yes, I do wonder how they will evolve, as D&C says, for even the Replacements (don’t say a disparaging thing about my favorite band or I’ll write an entire history of them on my blog including a ten song mixtape) got sick of their own sound. As for the “reverb-drenched racket” I quite agree, though I like mine a bit louder and rougher than I’ve heard in the 8 songs or so from Glasvegas that I’ve come across. But then, I’m a metal fan, so let’s just leave it at that.
Scottish you say?, yes… sadly for most of us here it’s any hint of an accent, it totally flips us over; well that plus some lyrics about the rougher side of life as we Americans generally only hear how poor your Communist-inspired system of National Healthcare has made you. xoxoxo (apologies for the “morons” comment, I was a little flushed after hearing “Flowers & Football Tops” – that’s a gorgeous tune!”)
Sorry Euan, I completely misunderstood what you meant. I thought you were saying that Glasvegas were prom music, not that they were snarling up old prom music. Absolutely, they are very clearly reinterpreting old doo-wop and rock ‘n’ roll records, and their sound is very beholden to them. I’d also agree with TWotH in the sense that, for all they’re inspired by prom music, they actually directly copy the Jesus & Mary Chain in a stylistic sense.
I don’t know if I think this is a bad thing – it sounds nice, so I’m enjoying it at the moment. Apart from have a distinctive style though, I can easily imagine them having no more tricks up their collective sleeve, but that’s hardly a question we can answer now and doesn’t really interrupt my enjoyment of a lot of this album.
I think I feel the exact same way about it as DC, just slightly more positively.
Nick Fisk & the Dylans, now there’s a band name.
Why would you do that? That would just be childish.
I’m fucking positive! I was just putting the devil’s advocate case.
Things by Paul Westerberg is one of my favourite ever songs.
So…
All in the King’s Wark for a swift half after work, then?
I can hop off a 22 at The Shore.. Euan? Matthew?
I’m meeting Derrick from the DBC for a swift beer, if you guys fancy joining us that would be delightful. we can all slick our hair elvis style and pretend to be a prom band covering the jesus and mary chain. brilliant.
I am off to End of the Road immediately after work, so no dice for me I’m afraid.
cool – izzy does that mean I get matthew’s free beer??
only kidding. i will pay.
What’s the DBC?
Well I am pretty young at heart for an old flapper.
If you lot misbehave and get me barred from my favourite Friday lunchtime pub I will be well miffed.
DBC – dead beat club. r.i.p
i’m only going to try and get you barred.
)
have fun at end of the road. line up looks great.
We could just ask Izzy to bar Matthew anyway.
That would be pretty funny!
What time you heading in, Euan?..
be there about half 6.
Cool. Me too..
i’ll keep them in line Matthew and won’t entirely hold you responsible if they get up to mischief – have a great time.
izzy, what’s your definition of twee, by the way? (wink, wink) xoxo
izzy was lovely and i didn’t feel scared. so all good. she’s right on. i’ll be hitting the kings wark a lot more. she might not like that – but she’s a woman of her word! top dollar.
what’s twee?
for me, Twee is full back panties made out of doilies.
I love this album. Is it the most original album of the year? Certainly not. Do I prefer the original version of daddy’s Gone? Most definitely. I interviewed james Allan back in January, he was a modest man, and a friendly one. I do have to agree with the comment about ‘how did they survive like that in Glasgow?’ It’s a great city – I taught there for a year in a school on the south side, and some of the kids lived in pretty deprived wards. It was so far removed from the west end like you wouldn’t believe, and i don’t think any of them had a clue who Belle and Sebastian were. My concern is that as this album is on course to top the album chart this weekend, will there be a whole load of copycat clones being sought out by record company folks?
Let’s fucking hope not, eh, Ed?
I’d be surprised if RayBan have stockpiled enough pairs of Wayfarers in their UK warehouses.
Talking to Euan in the pub tonight I crystallised in my own my mind what has been bugging me about this band.
It’s the name.
When I first moved to Scotland three years ago I was swept up in the majesty and romance of this wonderful country. I mean it: it’s nearly as good as Wales.
I loved it every time I encountered the cultural differences up here. I loved how the bucket is the bin, how the fairground is the shows, how you can get battered black pudding in a chippy, and how every pub has dozens of rums and whiskys and gins in pouring bottles racked up behind the bar.
I loved my encounters with the rivalry between Glasgow and Edinburgh. I loved how my mates from Glasgow had really cool nicknames for the town.
And that’s what bugs me about this band.
Glasvegas isn’t their name to use. It doesn’t belong to them. The term Glasvegas belongs to the city and people of Glasgow. It doesn’t belong to any individuals to misappropriate. This band’s vanity to use Glasvegas as a name for a pop group is staggering.
They’re cheap charlatans who’ve appropriated their sound, image and their very name from far more creative people. They’re counterfeit. They’re car boot. They’re Tesco Value.
And they’re an awful advert for Scotland and her music.
Don’t love this, but to correctly defend:
Glasvegas + The Kooks >>>>>> Limp Bizkit + Girls Aloud
And Euan’s sort of right, you really could slow dance to this under a disco ball. With The O.C.’s credits rolling right after.
By the way, Dylan, not to take away from that powerful argument, but what’s a chippy? Forgive my American ignorance…
Hi China.
A ‘chippy’ is a chip shop.
A takeaway fast food shop largely unique to the UK, although you may find similar establishments in some other Northern European countries.
Their staple offering is deep-fried food. Chips are fried potatoes – similar to french fries but sliced fatter before frying and typically softer in texture.
To accompany the chips you’ll find any number of meat and fish products – often deep-fried too. Battered, boneless fillets of white fish (cod, haddock etc.) are common across the UK. Different types of sausage will vary from region to region, but they’ll usually be dipped in batter and fried.
Other foods commonly available to accompany the chips include pies and pickles.
The meal will usually be wrapped in a paper parcel to be taken away by the customer and eaten elsewhere.
Now, now, I told you to forgive my American ignorance. No need to go off on this white fish business.
(That said – battered and fried sausage?? Good god.)
Adding to my collection of definitions for the ever elusive twee “full back panties made out of doilies”, why thank you D&C, …..er, right, ….off to chuck a few somethings out of my top drawer now.
mmmm battered sausage. genius. just genius.
talking to dylan last night in the pub I crystalised in my own mind what has been bugging me about this band.
they’re pish.
each to their own i guess, but i just can’t find anything good to say about them. this band will last 1 maybe 2 albums before they are forgotten about. too much hype, not enough substance.
Morning! Thanks for the banter last night, Dylan and Euan. One of our busier evenings so sorry there wasn’t more of it. It disturbed me that i couldn’t spend time conversing with Dylan at the bar and he got stuck with the local drunk telling nasty, crude jokes, but he dealt with it like a true gent!
Tart – Belle and Sebastian = twee
I want to put a positive spin on tweeness tho, i think it should be embraced in all its doily clad glory. I live near a pub that served its cocktails in china teapots with little dainty primrose covered cups and saucers. Extremely twee, but makes getting trollied feel a lot more charming!
Thanks Izzy, but talking to Euan wasn’t all that bad..
That’s the Roseleaf pub with the cocktail cups and saucers, isn’t it?..
He was pretty bad… got Matthew banned with his bad behavior remember!
It is the Roseleaf – highly recommended for their ginger beer and apple crumble cocktail – twee!
That does sound delightfully twee! We shall have to make plans to go and get thoroughly tweed on them!
Yes, Matthew will be disappointed next time he tries to stop in at the Wark for lunch.
Such a shame.
Fucking hell, a lot to catch up on.
China – Tomorrow, Dylan will be giving a seminar on ‘How To Wipe Your Arse’ with demonstrations & interactive workshops.
Dylan – I agree Glasvegas isn’t their’s to bandy about. I first heard the term about 3 years ago from Hope Eternal (the founder of The Waiting Room) &, excusing my ignorance for thinking it was one she had invented, hardly used it because (a) it sounded better with a Scottish accent + (b) it was that good a term I didn’t want to over-use it/wear its impact out.
Ed + Euan – They won’t last another album if they don’t significantly progress their sound. If they stick with the feedback doo-wop schtick then they’ll disappear as quickly as they arrived. Plus, I don’t think there’ll be too many copyists, if any, because it is far too much of an acquired taste.
Tart – you do know what a doilie is, right? If you have any panties made out of them I’d be most concerned.
China asked the question!
I simply gave a full and comprehensive answer!
I don’t know how much experience of British cuisine China has…
It’s the dedication ot the detail, Dylan, that made me smile.
Great debut album from Glasvegas. One of the best this year. Saw them live coupla months back and they’ve got the style and attitude to go with the great tunes. Aye, Scotland’s some place. You can catch the backlash here before the frontlash has even taken aim.
Basically, when I was answering China’s question my mind went:
“okay so China’s not familiar with the term ‘chippy’ fair enough he’s from the states they don’t have them so explain that ‘chippy’ is short for ‘chip shop’ but what if he doesn’t know what a chip shop is? you don’t get many of them in LA why would he know? better explain what a chip shop is but where do you start? okay explain what a chip is first because those crazy americans think chips are crisps and they call chips french fries but hang on proper chip-shop chips aren’t really anything like french fries better explain the difference and talk about some of the stuff you can have with your chips like fish and pies and different sausages because I did mention black pudding but you don’t get black pudding in chippies everywhere only really in Scotland and don’t forget chippies are takeaways if you sit down and have your chips it’s a caff not a chippy.”
I’m presuming China’s a ‘he’ because he likes Nada Surf.
Haha!
Lovely line, Kevin.
Spot on.
When are we all getting together for a night of tweeness at the roseleaf then?? I am up for it. lets do it. should we wear tweed. i think we should.
Izzy – lovely to meet you and no worries about lack of chat – Dylan and I just assumed you were a) rude or b) we smelled bad.
Dylan – I’m assuming China’s a he cause he likes nada surf – genius sir, genius. explain. you should have just said a chip shop is where you go when you feel like increasing the risk of a heart attack.
Matthew – apologies for my behaviour. But if its any consolation, there are other bars in leith that are really lovely places to eat and drink. sure you’ll find one you’re welcome in………………eventually.
kays lavelle changing their name to Scumdee. i think it will work.
Yes, Euan, let’s all wear tweed. (Okay – no-one else wear tweed but don’t tell Euan.. then we can all point at him and laugh when he turns up looking like Camilla Parker-Bowles.)
Yes, it was lovely to meet Izzy. I just can’t believe that Izzy really is a fifty-year-old brickie named Trevor… What a guess!
The Nada Surf thing? Well, I like Nada Surf and I’m a ‘he’. It figures.
And as for Matthew getting barred. I’m just worried about who’s going to pay for the damage..
Matthew Young will pay for the damage I assume. That’s the name I gave anyways. Always thinking Dylan, always thinking.
Tweed it is then. There’s nothing like a good bit of tweed to add to the overall tweeness of a situation.
Trevor had pretty cool hair for a 50 year old brickie right enough. I was impressed he had the *ahem* balls to pull that off in Leith and retain his brickie status.
anyone fancy a saturday afternoon/evening beer or 2?
Mmm… I’ve obviously had a hard paper round and over done the steroid usage, but at least the hair’s good, i’m happy.
I’d love a Saturday pint, but this lass/bloke has to work. Perhaps once i’ve finished cementing the king’s wark walls back in place after Euans (sorry Matthew’s) rampage i will join you..
see what you’ve gone and done now izzy! i hope your boss doesn’t read this. i don’t want the bill for the damage. matthew was the one who was at fault and if anything – dylan pushed me.
when you working? don’t worry, was not planning on coming in and scrounging more beer! or actually, that’s a great idea!
I won’t be able to make tomorrow unfortunately.
I’m going to the Air Show!
Nyyaaooooooooowwwwwwwwwwmmm!…..
you’re doig what?? my dad tortured me with that every year when I was young. stuck in traffic jams and car parks for hours on end. 2 hour trips from Dundee to Leuchars – which should take about 15/20 minutes. was heartbreaking. destroyed any hope i had of loving planes.
looks like i’ll be drinking alone.
(
Not actually at the pub on Saturday, at the proper job. so no beer for sale, just some hugely overpriced kitchens. I could probably find a faulty old hob to chuck your way though, if you’re intent on scrounging from me!
haha, my Dad took me every year too – in fact he might be there tomorrow. Wasn’t torture tho, i loved it!
We’re actually getting the train.
Straight outta Waverley.
First time I’ll be on a train going across the Forth bridge.
yeah – i loved it when i got there!!! i had model planes – was a right wee geek when i was younger but the travelling part was painful and tainted the whole experience. anything to see the red arrows though. and i did love the american tom cat – for those unfamilair with planes – the kind tom cruise flew in top gun.
so i can’t even go and scrounge free drink!! what?!?! this is terrible. be a bit weird if I came and sat and drank at your proper place of work right enough. will give that a miss.
still. i’m going to find some drinking buds for the evening for sure
dylan – you are like a big kid!
I don’t know, my boss is very cool. In fact he’ll be reaching for the vino shortly with it being Friday an’ all – and we do indulge in a bottle on Saturday lunch times. Perhaps inviting people along is starting to take the p**s tho. sorry…
hahaha. yeah, i’d love to see his face if I pitched up with a bottle in a brown bag asking for trevor. actually, would love to see your reaction too!!
My reaction….? I’ll be hiding in the loo!
the gents loo obviously.
Obviously
i’m off to glasvegas in half an hour. sure i’ll wake tomorrow to this site being over run by crazy talk.
if anyone fancies a beer tomorrow evening – let me know!
“A doily (or doilie) is a small ornamental mat usually made of cotton or linen placed underneath a dish or bowl. Openwork allows the table surface to show through.” Right off wiki, so there! And yes they were rather itchy anyway so I didn’t mind chucking them out.
Belle and Sebastian = twee, oh NOW I get it, thanks Izzy
If you need to know anything – ask a girl!!
If you need to know anything apart from reverse parking.
Ooooooooh!!! I’ll have a park-off with you any day!
Do you know that’s why you’re allowed to unclip your seatbelt when you’re reversing?
Honest to goodness this is true; it’s because the upper part of a standard three-point seatbelt naturally slots between a lady’s fun-bumps, and twisting round in the seat while reversing was found to cause uncomfortable chafing in such a tender area.
True as the day is long.
I don’t need to twist – can do it with my eyes closed!!
Want to ask where you find this stuff out, but it concerns me…
So what you – like – use the force or something?!
Yup…… when you hear a slight bang, you stop – easy!
Oh yeah – I remember when Yoda taught Luke that bit.
haha!
Mrs. Toad is going to chib anyone who disses Glasvegas and give a Mars bar to anyone lukewarm.
Believe her. She’s mean.
It’s raining here by the way. Fuck you all.
I don’t like mars bars anyways. glasvegas can fuck off. spent the night in glasvegas last night and didn’t see one dodgy quiff or people walking around with shades indoors.
now I’m back ni beautiful leith trying to plan the rest of my day. who knows what is instore.
also – having spent an evening at the wedding I was at last night, your wife does not scare me. Lets just say, it was the type of wedding that if I had played I may have attracted a few more groupies!
can’t believe izzy and dylan are discussing reverse parking though. wtf?
He touched a nerve!
touched a nerve eh. calling you a brickie called trevor – no worries – question your reverse parking – major worries!!
I think that what touched a nerve was questionning Izzie’s knowledge of The Force.
I’m beginning to suspect she’s some kind of Jedi master.
I’m not so convinced about her having The Force – she doesn’t seem to use it well at work. I mean, manually pouring pints when you have The Force seems silly. Us on the other hand – we said “these drinks are free” and we got them free. That’s a jedi mind trick at work mate. no question.
OMG people have a lot to say about this band.
i found out about them today. and i love them today. they are my new favorite band. long live Glasvegas…. but their name reminds me of glassjaw. .. .
Seems I got here late, but christ, your driving laws are backward, too.
All those tangents aside – Dylan, China is a “she” and knows what a chip shop is (just wasn’t familiar with the term “chippy” is all). Looking forward to that course on ass wiping.
Well that’s the last time I try and be helpful!
Nada Surf do rock though, right?
Snigger. Don’t. He will.
I’m sure of it. Don’t fret Dylan, I appreciate your detailed definitions.
Well, I’m glad someone does!
Thank you, China.
Can’t even be arsed reading the chat about Glasvegas … I wasn’t a fan, thought the name was a cliche but am now round to thinking this album is a piece of pure magic.
If it’s lost people ‘across the pond’, so what. I think the closer to Glasgow you live, the more likely you are to get it as it’s intended. To hear singing in the dialect is a rarity, never mind the subject matter. The fact that they’re talking local with a universal sound is an interesting sign of the times. The fact that it might not translate is just life. Nawwhitahmean !?
They are the real deal. Hat off.
Good. Someone else here rates them. About fucking time. I don’t think people who aren’t from Glasgow seem to be very good at understanding the realism of a lot of the songs. Maybe it seems so charicatured that it can’t possibly be real, but I think this is a far more true-to-life record than almost anyone on this thread has given it credit for.
I agree. That’s what makes it touching for me. Growing up in Scotland in the 80’s you didn’t really have all this regional dialect stuff in the media. OK it wan’t the 1950’s with pipes, moustaches and stiff upper lips but it took me ages to realise that the world I lived in wasn’t ever represented in the films, books, music and TV I soaked up as a kid. I was interested in everything exotic from ‘far away’ anyway. But by the time you came to open your mouth to sing a song I think most people, without even thinking about it, moved their accents halfway across the atlantic. If they could.
The Proclaimers were largely ridiculed in Scotland by anyone under the age of 30 when they came out. When Trainspotting (the book) came out I remember thinking the dialect was a gimmick (plus I didn’t know the accent coming from so far away as Glasgow !) until I got in touch with the subject. I was amazed that a such a huge reality of Scotland, reported by the tabloids but ignored by the arts, had been voiced so well. Everyone recognised it instantly. It changed my idea of what you could make into art.
Of course then, like know, Mr Welsh’s class-credentials were meticulously scrutinised. It’s weird that we pick over the bones of what’s obviously rooted in reality so much more than the lazy stereotypes that float about day to day. Books generally come from the head. Music has to be performed with heart. It doesn’t matter where they’re from, but Ithink it’s safe to say Glasvegas know exactly what they’re talking about.
Btw. Do people know what the ‘fleetos’ are ? Or what Mogwais ‘Young Team’ referred to ? Real Glasgow gangs. Not blinged up London/American hip-hop. Guys with bottles and knives. And possibly groovy hair cuts. Glasgow is vain after all.