Sad songs don’t need to be about romantic love. Glasvegas’ ‘Daddy’s Gone’ squeezes the throat, pricks your eyes and gives a small downwards tug to your heart, but it hymns an absent father rather than a lost girlfriend.
This single from the Scottish four-piece arrived on eMusic yesterday and, if you can, you should really try to hear it because sometimes the whirligig hype cycles of the British music press really do deliver the goods and Glasvegas are a package worth taking the day off work to wait for.
Creation Records founder Alan McGee believes them to be the best Scottish band since the Jesus and Mary Chain, and Glasvegas do owe a whole fuzz-distorted lot to the Reid brothers. There are also elements, especially on the lyrics front, of Arab Strap. Chuck in Phil Spector melodies, an almost motorik-like tug from the rhythm section and the strongest Scottish accent heard on a singer since The Proclaimers.
They’re rather like The Raveonettes fronted by some bloke found giving out poetry to the crowd outside Ibrox Stadium. I’m so in love I want to make myself properly miserable so that I can enjoy them fully.
You’re spot on again Anna (I’m eagerly awaiting new stuff from Elle S’appelle…). I fell in love with Daddy’s Gone after about 20 seconds: fabulous. Here’s another great Scottish band to add to the long, long list.
Thanks Phoney. I’m really looking forward to albums from both Glasvegas and Elle S’appelle.