Broken Records ‘Nearly Home’

Forget about the Paul Simon Africa ham of Vampire Weekend already, and don’t even get started with the very odd Yes-like prog of Yeasayer. NYC isn’t where it’s at. Nope. So where should we be looking?

Scotland.

Yup, we should all be looking at, gawping at no less, Edinburgh seven-piece (posher writers than me would call that a septet wouldn’t they?) Broken Records. ‘Nearly Home’ is the pick of the tracks currently in their shop window. The glorious Scots burr on show is absolutely gobsmacking. That is a voice. And this is music that belts you right between the eyes and doesn’t let up until about a second before you think your pounding heart is going burst. It’s not often you hear music this exhilarating. Think I might need a little lie down now.

This is, hands down, the best thing I’ve heard this year. There’s a Radio 1 Huw Stephens session lined up for next week, not to mention two London shows – I was tempted to make the 200-mile round-trip… were both shows not sold out.

Couldn’t help but notice that Murray Chalmers is involved. He’s the former head of press at EMI/Parlophone, did the job for 20 years. Knows a thing or two does Murray. Had a cracking falling out with him once over Mansun. All good fun.

His name alone is one of those signs that says you’ll be hearing more about this lot. A lot more.

More Hear…
- You know, they do have a MySpace page.
- There’s the debut four-track EP, for a bargain £5. Buy it here and call it an investment.