Glasvegas
It’s rare for a band to have the ability to pen mature, potentially massive, songs yet still retain a sense of locality and modesty in their music. The thick Scottish accent rolling unimpeded out of Glasvegas frontman, James Allan, is proudly grounded in the pubs and bars of his native Glasgow. This quality slices through the reverb-laden, atmospheric background of their songs, lending an irresistible intimacy that tempers the enormity of the sound. Allan’s raw lyrics will likely draw comparisons with the Arctic Monkeys’ scribe, Alex Turner. Although perhaps not mirroring Turner’s genius knack for mass-appeal, there is something about Glasvegas that — like the Arctic Monkeys — makes them sound as though the songs were written just for you. Thankfully, however, they don’t pander to the trendy London-based hipsters they may be categorised alongside. The music is dark, honest and thoroughly developed, fusing styles as diverse as rockabilly and punk. Visually, they stand on the thin line between Jonny Cash and Joe Strummer: decades apart but joined at the hip by dark glasses, leather jackets and slick black hair. This unabashed coolness wouldn’t work if it didn’t have the substance to back it up. Luckily, for us and them, Glasvegas have it.
Listen to the Glasvegas track, It’s my own cheating heart that makes me cry.
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Also by FRANCIS ANDREWS
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Build your next bike at Bamboo Bikes Studio, who help cyclists build their own custom, bamboo-framed bicycles. The organization, in partnership with the Earth Institute at Columbia University and the Millennium Cities Initiative, uses revenue to subsidize sustainable bamboo bike factories in Africa and South America.
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Knit you and your sweetie a smitten this Valentine’s Day and marvel at the droves of strangers that will vomit at your feet.
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