Fatherson; they have beards, guitars and a distinctive West Coast twang.
There is a special form of Scottish indie rock that has emerged over the last decade or so and Fatherson can be included in this club.
Their sound is comparable to the likes of Frightened Rabbit and Twin Atlantic, and this year looks set to be the most significant of the band’s career with the release of their debut album, I Am An Island and a headline tour across the UK.
An Island is the album’s title track and instantly it grabs you with an alluring breathy vocal, before exploding with soaring guitars and finishing on euphoric harmonies.
The next track is Hometown, which is song about home and finding your way, before moving onto I Like Not Knowing. Both songs are highly guitar driven and on the heavy side of indie rock, but still manage to retain their unique Scottish lilt, where other bands might sound a bit too faux American.
The careful attention Fatherson give to the lyrics in songs such as Cat Stevens, Mine For Me and Lights is what makes this a stand-out debut for the band. There is a sound that works for them and the melodies are flawless.
Next up is Half The Things, which brings back the stripped back introduction of the first track and makes that transition from quiet to loud alongside a string accompaniment. This is a formula which has worked for their contemporaries Biffy Clyro, and I can only imagine that it will seduce fans of this type of music in exactly the same way.
Dust as the title might suggest is a ballad, and brings in elements of folk music in its heartfelt and haunting nature. This and the next two tracks, James and Kiteers shows off impressive vocals with an amazing ability to jump from low to high without wavering. In James you get a sense of the strength of the album, and how it will translate into a live performance where fans will enjoy numerous sing along moments. Foreign Waters is the final track, and perfectly defines what has been an album of great emotional depth and rapturous highs.
They possess a huge amount of talent, and I Am An Island will transport this humble Kilmarnock based four piece to the heights of fame that fellow Scottish bands have enjoyed in recent years.
Star Rating: ★★★★★