- Label: 'Last Night From Glasgow'
- Genre: 'Indie'
- Release Date: '24.4.26.'
Our Rating:
This Is the latest double album by Scottish jangle pop legends The Bluebells whose current line up recorded the album at Beetroot Studios in Airdrie, The Bluebells are Bobby Bluebell, Ken McCluskey, David McCluskey, Douglas MacIntyre, Mick Slaven and Campbell Owens and This Is... was produced by Stuart Macleod.
The A-side opens with Sing Like Little Birds Sing which appears to be exactly what Bobby Bluebells other half has suggested he does, it seemed like a good idea and this sweet song is the result, it has The Bluebells signature jangly guitars and sweet melodies.
What I See Up On The Roof needs reflecting on, she is so brave and bold, needing help with her heavy load in the supermarket across the road, another carefully observed slice of life that has plenty of warmth and careful production, allowing the guitars and vocals to shine.
No Pasaran is a look through the prism of the Spanish Civil war to how the right is back on the rise in the 2020's, in many shocking and sad ways. This is a new song and not the classic rallying cry folk song that has been covered endlessly. The message is clear we have to make sure that we start to travel in a different direction.
A Monochrome Set is a cool tribute to one of Postpunk Indie music's most legendary bands, even though this has memories of the bands mother encouraging them to live a Monochrome life, rather than the technicolour dream they turned there lives into, these memories aren't tear stained, just looking back fondly to how hopeful they once were.
The B-side opens with You're Leaving upbeat indie pop, for the joy you feel now that you know, the one you no longer love, is going out the door never to return, they couldn't sound happier about it. Even as Bobby sings he's had enough, it sounds more joyful than angry, replete with a slow carefully picked guitar part.
Indian Summer isn't the much-covered Beat Happening song, this is slightly less sun dappled and psychedelic, guitars are jangly and the memories of those late September days shine through once more hazily.
The Fishing Song has them hitting the road and harmonizing on the way to sit by a loch, seeing if they can hook a monster dudgeon or two, in among all the repetition of life. Nothing feels anywhere hear so good, just watching the fish rise and catching a few of them.
See What The Morning Brings is quite hushed like you don't want to disturb your sleeping partner, while making clear that things always seem better the morning after the night before, especially if you have such perfectly wistful backing singers like The Bluebells do.
The C-side opens with Days Of The Revolution will blow your mind and make ever clearer, our desperate need for the wild fire tear down of a musical and spiritual revolution, a world reborn, where we all look out for each other, making sure everyone is fed and housed, along with a deceptive bassline denoting so much of our current woes, so grab your flags and join The Bluebells revolution now.
Art School takes a slow strummed look at just how you impressed him at Art School, no matter how much of a traditionalist he seems, when insisting the sky should always be blue, this has redolent feelings and tune with echoes of Pale Blue Eyes.
Trouble Talking can only happen when you whip out your harmonica, getting caught in a tornado, even if the pace of the tune is more of a gentle breeze, the feelings are laid bare once more, how restless you make him feel.
Dream On while getting even more chilled out, with pots and pans percussion, a slow revealing neo dub tale unfurls, with all the passion for the love you always share with each other, but of course you have been out on tour and hope things remain as normal on your return to the fold.
The D-Side opens with Take Me To The Dancefloor in this case at a cool indie jangle pop disco, where you will be able to slowly frug along to this rather pretty song, celebrating the joys of dancing and having a great time while referencing James Brown and other gods of Funk and disco.
Jaine is the only angry sounding song on the album, this has plenty of bite and bile hidden within the still sweet, faster jangling guitars, we find out all the reasons his Jaine is worthy of his ire, going to battle after losing all her money gambling.
In Our Time takes a wistful journey through the lives The Bluebells have lived, trying to remember all the people they have known in their time, hoping that not too many of them are forgotten, but of course many of them already are.
The Album closes with One More Day giving thanks for waking up once more, being able to sit and play your Epiphone, instead of going down a pit, or some other dreary day job, they have wandered all over town and just want to gently strum the days away, getting past being frightened every day, things got so bad that he felt drunk even when he was sober.
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