Angus McOg are not an introspective Scotttish singer songwriter but an Italian band who claim to be Alt.folk and Beginners is the bands 3rd album.
The Album opens with the lush Laika that feels quite windswept with some lovely strings as the singer begs and pleads for his love to comeback to him once more as she simply must adore a man who would make Haggis Lasagne for her how can she resist Angus or Antonio Tavoni the bands leader.
A Rooftop Love Song is as light and heartfelt plea for more than a shared love of a few pints of 80/ Shilling as you could wish for as things get all floaty and dreamlike.
Turkish Delight is obviously about a love of Fry's Chocolate covered Turkish Delight rather than the normal Icing sugar covered ones, while it reminds me of shoegaze bands like Lame Drivers and hints of The Delgado's, it's almost dream pop but with a psych chill out instrumental bit that's reminiscent of Joseph K.
Between The Lines is a slow strummed dreamscape of answered and unanswered questions that is in places is like a slowed down Life In a Northern Town, you know like Inverness as you stare into your glass of Whiskey sitting in the bar at the bus station at 10 in the morning trying to figure out where it all went wrong or something similar, it is also good music to stretch too.
Green Ocean Blue feels like they are staring at the North Sea and hoping it isn't the edge of nowhere as the waves come crashing in Pastels style jangle pop.
Ulysses is a long walk through the highlands searching for answers as Angus or Antonio goes right to the start where the salmon go back too in the black falls set to some nice dreamy jangle pop that goes all weird in the breakdown until it soars like the kites flying above the falls.
|
Turn The Corner takes us down an alley in Edinburgh and into some spooky tunnels with voices coming out of the walls at you as they gently urge you onwards deeper into the cities underbelly. As the acoustic guitar draw you into a very floaty and chilled out conclusion like you've just nodded out.
Beginners has them sitting by a window in a Scotch Living Room of course for this slice of life as they try to sort things out with some ocean side percussion and strummed guitar that is again reminiscent of Dream Academy.
Cold Sand almost sounds Blaxploitation to begin with on the intro before it becomes a dreamscape of them walking on a beach in Perthshire in mid-winter a bit bleak yet refreshing as the music gently pulsates like a fine drizzle.
Chanting Mime Hands closes the album busking on the Royal Mile with some Royal tattoo style drumming but instead of Fifes they add lush strings instead as Angus wonder's what it says about him that he's miming his way through life hoping to hear some heavenly Vibraphone to make it all ok again.
Obviously none of the Scottish references are in the actual songs but the dreamy nature of the music made me dream a little scenario or two based around the bands name. Please go and find out more at www.Angusmcog.it
www.facebook.com/angusmcog They are also on tour in the UK this week.
|
