|
|
Glasvegas
Glasvegas
Sony BMG
Article written by
James G - Sep 9, 2008
|
|
|
Glasvegas
|
Next up are Scottish band Glasvegas, who hope that their derivative brand of surf/ sixties/ reality pop will convince the Dragons to award them 5 stars, in return for repeated listens of their self-titled debut album. First is Peter Jones, who questions their longevity. ‘Ok, you’ve got a sound that is instantly recognisable as yours. And that’s a good thing. And ‘Geraldine’ is a great song. Or it is on the surface, at least. Isn’t it about a social worker comforting someone who suffers from depression? I see. Well, sorry, for me there’s just not enough ‘in there’, and for that reason I’m out’.
Deborah Meaden thinks they remind her of another band from her youth. ‘Have you heard ‘Obscurity Knocks’ by The Trash Can Sinatras? Isn’t this just an average reworking of that EP? Sorry, I’m not going to invest in something that I’ve heard before – only better’. Theo Paphitis, meanwhile, thinks he’s spotted something his rival Dragons have missed. ‘Go Square Go – is that song more indicative of the REAL Glasvegas? It’s sounds more ‘authentic’ to me… especially the chorus, repeated again and again, of “here we, here we, here we f***ing go…”. I think it’s not your fault that you’ve been the subject of – well, hype, for want of a better word – over the last year or so. Maybe it shows the dearth of anything else interesting around at present. Anyway, I’d like to make you an offer. I’m going to offer you two stars, in return for ten more listens.’
Duncan Bannatyne, meanwhile, has little time for his fellow Scots. ‘Ok, this is the kind of music you’d hear in some retro bar in Glasgow’s West End. If I heard this in one of MY bars, I’d ask when the Ramones moved to Scotland. And I’d sack the member of staff who was playing it’.
Remember, Glasvegas need all five stars in order to consider their visit to the Den to be a successful one. And last is James Caan.
‘Hello, I’m James. Let me tell you where I am. I think this album is great, a real breath of fresh air. I think there are genuine moments of melancholy in places –‘Daddy’s Gone’ and ‘Ice Cream Van’ in particular, and, ignoring everything else and just listening to the music, it stands up pretty well. It’s not the best thing I’ve ever heard – it won’t change my life – but it’s certainly not the worst thing, either. Ok, maybe you have been ‘pushed’ into the spotlight a bit… aren’t you involved with that other entrepreneur - Mr McGee, isn’t it…? Yes, I thought so. Well, bearing that in mind, I don’t see why you need stars from us. All I could do is follow Theo’s offer, by holding out one star.’
This means Glasvegas has only received an offer of three stars out of a possible five. It isn’t what they wanted, but they leave with mixed opinions and some encouraging words ringing in their ears, although there is an overriding suspicion that their product does not stand up well to close scrutiny.
|
|
|
|
|
|
- RSS Feed 
