Glasvegas
Location: Glasgow
Website: http://www.glasvegas.net/
Bio: Sunsets over Santa Monica...Blade Runner On The Beach...Bono serenading you on the pitch at Wembley Stadium... it couldn’t be further from the east end of ... (more)
Glasgow and yet, for Glasvegas, the spirit remains the same: passion. Since their debut eponymous masterpiece in September 2008 (critically-lauded, Mercury Prize nominated in 2009), the Glaswegian four-piece have seen things we wouldn’t believe: relentless global touring throughout the UK, Europe, Japan and America (a marathon six U.S. tours from October 2008 to September 2009), support tours with Oasis, Kings of Leon and U2, a myriad of global festivals from Roskilde to Glastonbury, Benicassim to T in the Park and nominations for awards throughout the musical spectrum: NME, Q, Mojo, UK Music Video, Mercury Prize, XFM, Vodofone, UK Festival, Tartan Clef and the Rockbjornen Awards in Sweden, where Glasvegas are particularly loved. “It’s been the best time of my life and a pure learning experience as well,” avers the ever-poetic James Allan, formidably gifted vocalist, lyricist and chief songwriter. “I’ve seen a lot of beauty. And noticed it and totally cherished it. With a few shadows following me home at night. It’s been in the grave and on the crest of a wave. It’s kind of like the Forrest Gump movie, when he’s running along the water, ‘I don’t know where the ocean ended and heaven began’. It’s been amazing.”
Across the planet, nations thrilled to their dazzling, flood-lit, ecstasy-rock live spectacular, arms-in-the-air, throats-on-fire, bawling in unified abandon to their now-classic brace of irresistible singles, terrace-anthem epics uniquely framing the most affecting social commentary of the contemporary age, a poetic critique of daily life on the streets of their native Glasgow, from ‘Daddy’s Gone’ (the hurt of absent fathers), to ‘Geraldine’ (love may not save you, but your social worker might) to ‘Flowers & Football Tops’ (a mother grieves for her murdered son).
Returning to Glasgow in December 2009, after two years on-the-road in the rock ‘n’ roll cocoon, James Allan’s lyrics turned inwards, his steady gaze torn away from the world outside his window to the landscape within, the emotional landscape of the staggering reality of what it means to be a human being. After their bewitching six-track Christmas EP of 2008, ‘A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss)’ (merry Christmas themes: relationship breakdown/ loneliness/homelessness), their second album proper, ‘EUPHORIC /// HEARTBREAK \’, sees a leap beyond their trademark Phil Spector wall-of-sound into glittering new towers of electronic rock ‘n’ roll, even bigger, bolder, brighter and infinitely more personal, luminously sprinkled in the shimmering stardust of production titan Flood (U2, The Killers, Depeche Mode). 11 stadium-ready thrillers reflecting on love, loss, suicide, longing, sexuality, shame, hope, redemption and choosing the path of happiness. A story of darkness into light. “The new songs are aspirational,” decides James. “Personally, for me, it was like an adult’s wish-list for Santa. Longing for a state of mind. For relief, release and happiness. Like everybody. Songs about a love gained, a love lost, a love longed for, a love unwanted. I’m not sure I ever was a social commentator. More a social day dreamer!”
(less)
