Labels: Gringo
Review by: Luke Younger
Finally out at long last, the debut record from Scotland’s best kept secret, Eska. A band who have been around for god knows how long that have been on endless amounts of tours, released numerous 7″ singles and had a stream of drummers (including one Stuart from Mogwai).
Probably the most accessible thing Gringo have released so far I think. The whole thing kicks off in a pretty spectacular fashion with the song Goodbye to Victories. It boasts some spectacular twisty riffery and great vocals, then the song suddenly changes and goes all math! Then track two Blast Theory really does sound like Black Sabbath raised on a diet of Don Caballero. Rock! I think one of the great things about this record is that a lot of it is really different. From Springboard to Highdive hints a bit at Superchunk, and the rest is reminiscent of bands like Archers of Loaf with the melodies of Mogwai. The highpoint of the record comes in the last song The Unbelievable Snow of 1999, which starts off slow and quiet, builds up into this great rock part and ends with a lovely guitar line at the end. Storming (hehe, storming. Unbelievable snow. Get it?).
Yet another great Gringo release, and one of my favourite records of this year. You know what to do (buy it).