If you’ve ever read any of my blog posts, you’ll probably be fed up with the very mention of Last Night From Glasgow, but I make no apologies for the repetition. The fact is, those in charge of quality control at the heart of LNFG have got their heads screwed on and are totally in tune with quality sounds.
Case in point is the debut album, Another Life, from the band formerly known as Foundlings, Hadda Be.
Gloriously Joyous Riffing
If you’ve been fortunate to hear the recent singles, the albums title track and the more recent Wait in the Dark, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Another Life demonstrates some gloriously joyous riffing, while Wait in the Dark is altogether darker and shows the bands shadowy, more sinister side, all thundering drums and squalling guitars, while Amber Rose’s normally divine vocal takes on an altogether edgier feel with the help of some effects.
Blazing their trail with the impassioned spirit album opener Apathy, there is a sense of oxymoron here, as musically this is anything but apathetic with machine gun riffing, drum rolls and fills forming a declaration of intent. The soulful affecting lyrics give you plenty of food for thought, not just on this opening song, but across all ten poetic jewels on offer on this remarkable debut.
Flawlessly Tight
Take it Away is a perfect example of a band completely in sync, a flawlessly tight rhythm section of Ben on bass and Oliver of drums providing a solid backbone for Matthew’s sinewy guitar parts and Amber’s sublime vocal. Perfection. Initially, the laidback Unknown Place has a feel of That’s Entertainment to it, before the clamour of Matthew’s urgent guitar parts builds to it sonorous conclusion.
Over on side 2, the band continue to rouse the spirits setting alight to the atmosphere on tracks like Fire, with their explosive electrically charged energy and seemingly relentless intense vivacity spilling over into Almost Over. Not everything on the album is as fierce and frenzied though, So It Goes is the band at their folkiest. It cemented a thought I had listening to the album for the first few times. At times, specifically on Catch it on the Fall, Amber Rose channels elements of Julianne Regan, so let’s call this track their Martha’s Harbour.
The album ends with the passionate tribute that is Nurse’s Song, complete with samples from speeches by the founder of the NHS, Nye Bevan. Very much a song of the times.
Meanwhile, Last Night From Glasgow continue to go from strength to strength with a list of releases the length of my arm due from the main label and its offshoots. So much so, they now have their very own premises in Glasgow’s Hidden Lane.
I’ll let you off if this glorious record is the first thing you ever buy from the label. Well done, it is a great start. Now, please go and investigate further, your ears and soul will thank you (though your bank manager may not).
Hadda Be – Facebook – Twitter – Bandcamp
Last Night From Glasgow – Website