Viva Glasvegas

Around 2008 in the same ballpark universe and country as the Jesus and Mary Chain, a name appeared that demanded an immediate investigation, and that name was Glasvegas. I can’t remember how I first heard them, probably on BBC 6Music but I heard them and immediately had to have that album.

Like The Jesus and Mary Chain, take cues from Surf Music, The Sixties and Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound with a darker fuzz guitar and realist hue.

With lines like

“My Name Is Geraldine, I’m Your Social Worker” and songs like “Stabbed” you know you are not in for the easiest of rides, but it is a ride worth taking on their eponymous debut album.

These are my observations on their excellent debut album.

I love its cover based on Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” but in black and white. This is about the concept of the cover.

The album's cover artwork was illustrated by Village Green based on ideas and concepts conceived by James Allan. The design is inspired by Vincent van Gogh's 1889 painting “The Starry Night.” James Allan favoured the comparison between the painting and the band's sound, for their "tranquillity, but fury as well.”

The band’s lineup for this album was

James Allan – vocals, rhythm guitar, producer (2003–present)

Rab Allan – lead guitar, backing vocals (2003–present)

Paul Donoghue – bass guitar (2003–present)

Caroline McKay – drums (2005–2010)

So I will take you through the songs on the album and my thoughts on them.

"Flowers & Football Tops" – 6:56

The seven-minute opener drifts in with nearly a minute of guitar ambience, then the drums come in and we are into the Glasvegas sound, with shades of Phil Spector, sixties girl groups and the Velvet Underground, Before fading with “You Are My Sunshine” in a sea of white noise.

"Geraldine" – 3:45

An amazing single. the instrumental version" has been used extensively worldwide (and predominately) for sports programmes. In 2008, the instrumental of "Geraldine" was also used in the UK trailer for “The Damned United” a fictionalised version of Brian Clough's tenure as manager of Leeds United. The full version of the song was featured in the documentary “One Night in Turin”, which chronicled England's run in the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

"It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry" – 4:25

The song explores the concepts of self-loathing, inevitable guilt and regret resulting from infidelity within an interpersonal relationship. The song is heavily guitar-based, making use of delay and reverb effects; and produced using the Wall of Sound technique.

"Lonesome Swan" – 2:43

A continuation using the sixties girl group/wall of sound fell. Another great song.

"Go Square Go" – 3:22

A re-recording of the band’s debut single

"Polmont on My Mind" – 3:50

This slows down with a gorgeous guitar backing but streaked with regret and melancholy.

"Daddy's Gone" – 4:22

This is about the love of a son for his absent father, very poignant.

"Stabbed" – 2:20

James wrote this number about gang violence and the fear of being attacked in the East End of Glasgow, an area the band calls home. It name-checks a local knife gang "The Baltic Fleeto." and uses Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” for the music. Very dark indeed.

"S.A.D. Light" – 3:59

A heavy drum opens this but the sound starts off quite empty, but the melancholic mood continues and grows with guitars that sound like they are e-bowed, a gorgeous sound, with James’ vocals merging with the guitar sound.

"Ice Cream Van" – 5:56

This is slow ponderous and ambient, a great album closer that sounds nothing like the feeling of an ice cream van but puts you right in with the band.

In Concluding This Glasvegas Debut

Japanes and American versions contained bonus songs but I don't have them, but the album as is, is enough for me.

It is an album I play time and time again, and fifteen years on has lost none of it’s wonder for me.