Glasvegas

Comparisons to the Jesus and Mary Chain aren't for naught: even without a standing drummer (which they have), Glasvegas' embrace of pulsing beats and milkshake-thick guitars channels the '80s alt heroes. But they also quote other seminal pop: War-era U2 haunts "Flowers and Football Tops" and the Wall of Sound of "Daddy's Gone" comes complete with a "Be My Baby" beat. It can get soggy -- as on "Stabbed," which lays a spoken brogue over Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata, or the opener's nicking of "You Are My Sunshine" -- but the whole package reveals a most durable buzz band indeed.

This Scottish quartet's first album is practically a best-of set &#8212 four songs previously
appeared as high-buzz indie singles. Glasvegas create wall-of-distortion melodrama that
draws on the Jesus and Mary Chain, Sixties girl groups and the Velvet Underground's
rain-dance pulse. It makes for a compelling blend of grays &#8212 "Flowers and Football
Tops" is based on the real-life murder of a Glasgow teenager &#8212 lit by singer J... More >