Greatest Scottish Albums
I have been really enjoying Roddy Frame’s new album – “Seven Dials.” It is a timeless classic that one could have listened to 20 years ago, or 20 years from now. I have recently realised that, among my favourite albums, many of them are by Scottish Bands/Artists. Despite my grandfather being born in Glasgow, I have never visited Scotland (principally because the weather appears, if anything, to be worse than in the West of Ireland), but since the late 1970s Scottish artists have had a huge impact on my music listening. One of my first singles was The Skids’ “Into the Valley” sung by Robert Johnson in such a thick Scottish drawl that I still cannot discern 90% of the words. Indeed, it is remarkable how many Scottish bands have, over the years, refused to sing in mid Atlantic accents, favouring their own brogue: a particular favourite is “Letter to America” by the Proclaimers. Possibly my favourite singer of childhood was Frankie Miller (“Darlin'” 1978). Some acts, such as Mogwai, have continued to push the envelope for post modern – industrial music – and I have treasured each successive album in multi format pleasure. Interestingly, both Knopfler brothers – in Dire Straits, and the Young brothers, in AC/DC were born in Scotland. Anyhow – her is my list of my favourite Scottish Albums (in no particular order – just as they came into my head – only one album per artist – in general):
Jesus & Mary Chain – Psychocandy
Proclaimers – Sunshine on Leith
Belle & Sebastian – If you’re feeling sinister / The Life Pursuit
Mogwai – Come on Die Young
Teenage Fanclub – Grand Prix / Songs from Northern Britain
Roddy Frame / Aztec Camera – Surf / High Land Hard Rain
Orange Juice / Edwin Collins – You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever
Big Country – The Crossing
Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
Average White Band – AWB
John Martyn – Solid Air
Biffy Clyro – Only revolutions
Simple Minds – Once Upon a Time
Cocteau Twins – Treasure
Incredible String Band – The 500 spirits or the…
Beta Band / Steve Mason – 4 EPS / Monkey Minds in the Devil’s Time
Blue Nile – Walk Across the Rooftops
Boards of Canada – Geogaddi
Idlewild- The Remote Part
Pastels – Slow Summits
Primal Scream – Screamadelica / Give Up But Don’t Give Out
Travis – The Invisible Band
Trashcan Sinatras – Cake
Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks
Glasvegas – Glasvegas
King Creosote – Diamond Mine
KT Tunstall – Eye To the Telescope
Fratellis – Costello Time
Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
Django Django – Django Django
Bert Jansch – L.A. Turnaround
Lloyd Cole – Rattlesnakes
Kevin McDermott – Mother Nature’s Kitchen
Gerry Rafferty – City To City
Ultravox – Vienna
I’m sure I’ve missed out on many great recordings by other artists, apologies to Scots men and women for appearing patronising. I could go a year and not listen to music from any other nation. FYI – when I was a kid in the early 70s Scottish music, to me was Kilted Andy Williams and the Bay City Rollers. Things have really moved on.
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