Laurence and the Slab Boys

Lo-Fi Disgrace is the debut album by Laurence and the Slab Boys, the brainchild of Larry Reid, formerly of the now disbanded Cinematics.

It’s always hard for a musician to start again after being in such an established act.

You go from having lots of fans to having no fans and you will always inevitably be compared to your previous band until you have established yourself.

Well, as it so happens there’ll be no comparison here because I’ve heard maybe two songs by the Cinematics and after listening to this album I’m thinking maybe I should go listen to them because this album is simply brilliant.

Lyrically it’s superb.

Steve Albini once said that the best albums where ones where you feel as if a connection had been made between you and the band, an album that you could listen to without knowing anything about the band and afterwards feel as if you knew them in an almost personal way.

A one-way conversation if you will that means something beyond the music.

That is what this album achieves, it speaks to you, you can feel Reid’s isolation, his loneliness, his uncertainty and you get the impression that this is it.

It’s all or nothing and it really comes through.

The instrumentation is very appropriate, the drums have a commanding presence with their simple syncopated rhythms that lock everything together perfectly while the guitars are layered together excellently with catchy hooks that avoid being annoying and make heavy use of reverb and delay without taking away from the substance of the notes being played.

The voice is very soft and it has a characteristic slur that reminds me slightly of Shane MacGowan.

The thing I like most is the way it all blends together, your attention is always drawn to the song as a whole rather than one instrument or the voice and the dynamics are exceptional.

There is also something distinctly modest about it that I can’t put my finger on.

Recommended tracks: ‘Mushroom’, ‘Do for Diamond’, ‘K.E.O’ - Ravechild

So by now you should all know that The Cinematics are sadly no longer here, leaving us with this great reminder as the final nail was hammered into their musical coffin over in Berlin. Well, if you did know that, then odds are you'll also know that during their ill-fated hiatus which led to their eventual split, guitarist Larry Reid embarked on a new project with a smattering of local musician friends... Laurence and the Slab Boys.

On the 18th of June, their debut album Lo-Fi Disgrace receives it's official release via Grumpy Records, a mere year-and-a half after it was recorded in the bleak German mid-Winter. Geez... bleak, grumpy, 'lo-fi disgrace' is really selling this isn't it? Thankfully, the album itself, is anything but. Sure, it's not the most uplifting of albums, but it's an absolute pleasure nonetheless.

By now, I hope you realise why reviews on Kowalskiy are so few and far between. The reasons are two-fold:
I really am utter shite at doing reviews.
The album under review has to be head and shoulders above anything else I've heard recently.
Two points I'm sure will become evident throughout this post...

So, onto the music itself. The first track up is the aptly-named, instrumental Introduction which is quite sinister in places with it's muffled cries and foreboding atmosphere. All of which leads us nicely into Mushroom. It's always been one of my favourite tracks so it's the perfect choice as debut single in my book, albeit a bold choice for radio play as Larry himself once told me. It continues where the intro left off, though here Larry's almost-slurred vocals of "I fear we’re gonna die young" complementing the sombre mood until another two-minute instrumental cuts through it. It may well be a brave choice for airplay, but it's still one of the singles of the year.

But it's not all doom and gloom. Sandwiched in between the Space Dream #1 and #2 duo, K. E. O. offers some upbeat respite with a subtle nod or two to New Order in the process. It's these two Space Dream tracks though that form the focal point of this remarkable album. Whereas the shoegazey #1 is awash with reverb and echoing harmonies, #2 is built around a series of riffs, with feedback buzzing away in the background. It's these tracks which offer a fuzzy glimmer of The Cinematics which still hasn't left Larry's system yet, and both compliment each other, and the other tracks, perfectly.

It takes a very special talent to bring the listener so much enjoyment from what is, on-paper, a dark and at times forlorn set of songs, but with songwriting of this calibre and the sonic arrangements throughout, Larry and the boys have done exactly that. He's very much at home centrestage that Mr. Reid! - Kowalskiy

Laurence Reid was a member of the Cinematics, an alright Glasgow band who released two albums before the inevitable pressures of touring took their toll and the band split, seemingly without making much of an impression here although they had a more favourable reception in the US and Europe, which would perhaps explain why Larry Reid and probably one or two other former Cinematics are now part of Berlin's ever growing expatriate Scots musician community (they can probably count Travis's Fran Healy among their neighbours) and 'Lo-Fi Disgrace' was recorded there. Don't expect stereotypical Krautrock electronics though, 'Lo-Fi Disgrace' is for the most part a skilfully, even smoothly played guitar album, its songs owing much to Reid's (I assume it's his playing) atmospheric tremelo laden six string abilities, one that starts to reach Dire Straits levels of laidbackness around fourth track 'The Fruit That You Knew'.

That's the other thing about 'Lo-Fi Disgrace', the Slab Boys really aren't taking things entirely seriously and there's a streak of mordant, verging upon actually morbid humour running through its 11 tracks, although I'm probably misinterpreting the enthusiasm of a group of musicians whose 'difficult third album' is finally seeing daylight and that's probably what gives 'Lo-Fi Disgrace' the added gravitas you might expect from a band with the experience the former Cinematics now have. Sounding like the seasoned industry veterans they actually are, Laurence And The Slab Boys might downplay their performance here but there's an unmistakable mainstream gloss to their songs, and quite likely more film soundtracking on the cards (a Cinematics song appeared in 2011 rom-com 'What's Your Number?'). - Tasty Fanzine

This debut album from the noise-pop collective that is Laurence and the Slab Boys is pretty damn good. It is dark and moody. Excellently produced and beautifully mysterious it would make a perfect soundtrack for a David Fincher film. It is atmospheric, mean and snarly – just how I like my music. K.E.O. was my standout track – though I must admit it becomes pretty difficult to distinguish between tracks after a while as they all blend into one. It’s not exactly the soundtrack to the Summer (unless we have a pretty damp and dreary Summer that is!) but I still think it’s worth a listen. - Vanguard Online

This is an attractive LP, if not one that will immediately grab you: as it’s a slow burner in every sense, not looking to flatter the listener with anything other than its core honesty. If you like a straight, sometimes maudlin story then you will like Lo-Fi Disgrace. In fact the LP’s title is very appropriate. It’s a record full of lugubrious and sometimes angry reflections, and one that doesn’t look to express this worldview in terms of any sonic trickery either. No, this is a classic bedsit record, full of low density guitar phasing, slightly tinny sound effects, woozy textures and other lo fi “patina” bric-a-brac that somehow collide with the singer’s moody disposition. It is soulful stuff though, the chord changes in tracks like Mushroom and the eloquent Do For Diamonds go through a change of gears, an “ascend of octave” that hint at a kind of longing for spiritual uplift - or the chance to dish out some soap box rhetoric, I can’t decide which yet. There’s also something in his warm, throaty delivery that reminds me – weirdly enough - of Ricky Ross. Albeit one who’s got a Gothic side to his muse. Check Cry Wolf.
Lo-Fi Disgrace is a lonely record on the whole; not one to stick on at a party. Tracks like Space Dream and Naïve are essentially soliloquies: Hamlet singing about not having any money to buy pasta or go on a bender, or maybe something a lot worse. You do get the feeling that the lad spends a lot of time looking out of his window... At times things do take a noticeably dark turn, as on the murky, slightly grisly Mothers Kiss Your Children, but it’s a graceful record too: K.E.O. has a feeling of the intelligent melancholy that the Go Betweens had and The Fruit That Knew is a slow plod through some Strasse or other – a plod that does open out into a vapour trail of crystalline guitar. Space Dream – number eight in your track listing - is one of the first tracks that kicks up a gear but its beat is insistent, like someone trying to push themselves at the gym rather than a “rhythmic expression” of joy and exuberance.
So it’s not one to woo the girls with over drinks and fondue, but it’s a fine album nonetheless. - Incendiary Magazine

The Cinematics, having played a number of big festivals slots and supported the likes of Editors, once looked to have a big future.
As is so often the case though, it never quite happened, and arguably, their time had passed long before their split was confirmed last year. History will state that 2007 debut album A Strange Education was their creative and critical peak, but the story’s not quite over yet for guitarist Larry Reid.
Inspired by the loneliness of being stuck in Berlin after the band imploded, Lo-fi Disgrace is Reid’s debut album as Laurence and the Slab Boys. It’s not a huge surprise to find some shared musical DNA with the Cinematics, who at their best, had a knack for a decent guitar melody and chorus to match.
First single Mushroom – referencing the nuclear cloud rather than the fungus – picks up that torch and runs with it. Well, we say run, it’s more of a slo-mo swagger, its laconic, apocalyptic words undercut with choppy guitars.
Do For Diamonds is a more melancholy affair (well, everything’s relative – as a piece, Lo-fi Disgrace is predictably short of cheer) and so far there’s absolutely no sense, musically at least, that this was recorded by just one guy in a German bedroom. Lo-fi it most certainly is not and having produced the Cinematics latter material, Reid has shown again that he has genuine talent behind the desk.
Musical references abound. The presence of Ian McCulloch and his Bunnymen echoes throughout and the Psychedelic Furs are also a neat reference point. Shoegaze is an over-used description these days, but pretty much every song is soaked in reverb and minor chords, and it’s a most agreeable affair. We’d been wondering why a song by Irish ’90s cult heroes Whipping Boy had been coursing round our head earlier but made absolute sense when we listened to Naive again – very similar but no pastiche, and as we worship at the temple of Whipping Boy anyway, entirely forgivable.
A final mention to K.E.O., probably the most upbeat thing here with a catchy guitar riff and probably Reid’s strongest vocals on the album with some smart drumming buried in the mix. Just one highlight in a very strong first effort. - Tidal Wave of Indifference

There can be little better inspiration to write and record a record than the abject consumption of loneliness in a place far removed from home. Every writer needs a muse of sorts, and Larry Reid found his when his band left Scotland for Berlin, split up and left with, and I quote, ‘no obvious road back home’. In hindsight, it was probably a blessing.

Laurence and the Slab Boys’ debut record Lo Fi Disgrace is on one hand a dark, foreboding record with a sense of hope dashed across the more meandering, maudlin themes that make up not only the lyrical content but the general disaffection of the music too, and on the other quite upbeat. The guitar parts, often allowed to ring, add a moodiness that is set off by the almost Libertines-esque vocal parts and reinforced by the space in the music which is allowed to swell and then be filled.

Lo Fi Disgrace is an album to sit back and ponder over. It’s thought provoking and intimate, yet aloof and quite distant too. It’s a promising debut, suggesting maybe better things are to come as Reid explores his ideas further and gets a handle on the more disparate, less enveloping moments on the record and gives them the treatment then better moments have benefited from. - Subba Cultcha

Fast drei Jahre ist es schon her, dass die Schotten von The Cinematics rund um Songwriter Larry Reid und Sänger Scott Rinning ihr zweites Album “Love and Terror” veröffentlichten. Kurz vor den Aufnahmen war die Band schon fast am Ende, da sie nach ihrem Debüt ihren Plattenvertrag verloren hatten und kurz davor waren, die Band komplett aufzulösen. “Love and Terror” sollte ein Neuanfang sein und eigentlich sah alles gut aus. Die Kritiken waren positiv und besonders in Deutschland erspielte sich die Band eine große Gefolgschaft. Also tat die Band den nächsten Schritt und beschloss nach Berlin zu ziehen. Dort angekommen merkten sie allerdings schnell, dass die persönliche Ansichten, die Wünsche des Labels und die Vorstellungen der Bandmitglieder sich nicht vereinen ließen.

Als Larry Reid zwischen den Aufnahmen seinen Umzug nach Berlin zu Ende brachte sah er sich bei der Rückkehr damit konfrontiert, dass der Rest der Band bereits das Ende beschlossen hatte. Fast pleite und ohne Band musste sich der Songwriter und Multiinstrumentalist einen neuen Plan für die Zukunft machen. Das Ende von The Cinematics stellte damit die Geburtsstunde von Laurence and the Slab Boys dar.

Larry nutzte die neu gewonnene Zeit und schrieb das Album “Lo-Fi Disgrace”, das er dann auch schon vor mehr als einem Jahr fertigstellte. Es gab verschiedene Dinge, die ihn davon abhielten, das Album damals zu veröffentlichten, aber jetzt ist es endlich doch soweit und “Lo-Fi Disgrace” ist erschienen. Und wie auch die Songs von The Cinematics zeichnen sich die Stücke von Laurence and the Slab Boys auch nicht gerade durch eine ausnehmend positive Stimmung aus. Düster instrumentiert eröffnet das Album mit dem Instrumental-Song “Introduction”. Es folgt das nicht viel positivere “Mushroom” mit der prägnanten Textzeile “I fear we’re gonna die young”. Dazu der leicht nuschelige, etwas hintergründige Gesang untermalt von spärlicher Instrumentierung mit schrammeligen Gitarren und rauen Drums. Lakonischer 80ies Sound deutlich inspiriert von der Wave- und Punk-Szene mit Shoegaze-Einspielungen, luftigen Arrangements und klanglichen Referenzen an The Cure’s legendäres “Pornography”. Allerdings im Fall von Laurence and the Slab Boys eine ganze Spur apokalyptischer und melancholischer.

Mit den düsteren Bildern und der Endzeitstimmung schaffen es Laurence and the Slab Boys den Hörer in einen tiefen Sog zu ziehen. Man könnte fast sogar sagen, dass es Spaß macht, Reid und seinen Mannen zu lauschen, wenn der Vergleich ob der dunklen Themen vielleicht etwas hinkt. “Lo-Fi Disgrace” ist ein fesselnder Blick in die Gefühlswelt von Larry Reid, fließt angenehm durch die Boxen und bietet bei jedem Durchgang wieder den gleichen, dichten Hörgenuss.

English:
Almost three years have already passed since the Scots of The Cinematics around songwriter Larry Reid and singer Scott Rinning their second album "Love and Terror" published. Shortly before the shooting, the band was almost at the end, because they had lost their record deal after their debut and were just about to break up the band completely. "Love and Terror" should be a new beginning and everything looked really good. The reviews were positive, particularly in Germany erspielte the band a large following. So did the band the next step and decided to move to Berlin. Once there, she quickly realized, however, that the personal views of the label's wishes and ideas of the band members could not reconcile himself.

As Larry Reid between shots brought his move to Berlin at the end he looked at the return confronted with the fact that the rest of the band had already decided the end. Almost bankrupt and had to tape without the songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, make a new plan for the future. The end of The Cinematics turned so the birth of Laurence and the Slab Boys represents

Larry took the time gained and wrote the album "Lo-Fi Disgrace", which he completed it for now more than a year. There were several things that kept him from the album published at that time, but now it's finally and yet so far "lo-fi Disgrace" has been released. And like the songs of The Cinematics are distinguished the pieces of Laurence and the Slab Boys from not just through particularly positive mood. Dire opened orchestrated album with the instrumental song "Introduction." It follows that not much more positive "Mushroom" with the striking line "I fear we're gonna die young." To the slightly nuschelige, something enigmatic vocals accompanied by sparse instrumentation with guitars and then scrape rough drums. Laconic '80s sound clearly inspired by the wave and punk scene with shoegaze recordings, airy arrangements and aural references to The Cure's legendary "Pornography". However, in the case of Laurence and the Slab Boys and a whole lot of apocalyptic melancholy.

With the gloomy pictures and Endzeitstimmung succeed Laurence and the Slab Boys draw the listener into a deep undertow. One could even almost say that it's fun to listen to Reid and his men, when the comparison of the dark themes that maybe something is lagging. "Lo-Fi Disgrace" is a captivating glimpse into the emotional world of Larry Reid flows pleasantly through the boxes and offers on each pass back the same, dense listening. - Whitetapes

Lo-Fi Disgrace is the debut album from the noise-pop collective, Laurence and the Slab Boys. The album was written and recorded by multi-instrumentalist Larry Reid, who was previously the lead guitarist with now defunct Glasgow rock band The Cinematics. When the band split up last year while recording an album, Reid found himself alone and broke in Berlin. His response was to write the songs that were to become this excellent album.

Musically, the album is mostly dark and atmospheric although some lovely guitar melodies provide moments of light. It has the lo fi feel from its title, and there are some interesting tape effects and sounds that pop up here and there, recorded by Reid as he captured the sounds of Berlin.

Larry Reid is clearly a talented songwriter and his songs introduce us to a variety of interesting characters. This is the type of album where you listen intently to the lyrics and come to understand the stories that they tell. Add in the fact that Reid has an expressive voice that enables him to portray all of the emotion from his songs and you have the basis for some fine music.

The album opens with a short instrumental called Introduction that sets the tone nicely. Mushroom, the lead single from the album comes next. With apocalyptic lyrics and some dark imagery, the song is driven by a steady drum beat and a repeated slow guitar chord that shimmers. This lovely track tells of finding love under a mushroom cloud in a tender fashion, and features some great guitar work at its close.

The other highlights are the tracks that use Reid’s story telling lyrics to best effect. Space Dream comes in parts #1 and #2 telling the tale of a burned out astronaut. KEO introduces us to a circus performer in a more upbeat track that has a great guitar riff and Naïve has a sales clerk straggling to see the point of going on.

The album ends strongly with Cry Wolf, which tracks a gradual loss of faith in life, and Mothers Kiss Your Children, a track that sounds has a positive feel to it, yet there is also a dark undertone that chills.

Lo-Fi Disgrace is an interesting album that leaves a good impression of Larry Reid’s talents as a writer and a performer. The fuzzy guitar and sound effects are good backing for Reid’s strong voice as he delivers his fine lyrics. It’s moody and expressive and ultimately an enjoyable debut. - Glasswerk

As I understand it, Larry Reid and his fellow Cinematics had left their Glasgow homes to live and record a third album in Berlin. Instead, the band broke up and Larry was left in Berlin, working as a DJ, and without a band. He started writing material for an album, informed by the isolation and loneliness inherent in being far from home, without his band, and not speaking German. Apparently he considered scrapping the project at various points, but he eventually became persuaded that recording and releasing it was the right approach. Good decision, Larry. Good decision.

Recorded and released under the name Laurence and the Slab Boys, Lo-Fi Disgrace is a noisy, fuzz and feeback-laden brand of dream pop, with a few hard edges musically and plenty of hard-edged emotions lyrically. For me, it is one of the brooding highlights of the year so far. There is no major label involved, so it is the album Larry and his collaborators wanted to make, made to please them and not some A&R guy's image of what would sell.

One of the most distinctive features of Lo-Fi Disgrace is the vocal performance of Reid. While his vocals are soft, and not overly-emphasized in the mix, they command the proceedings by virtue his raw, baritone delivery (reminding this listener of Ian Curtis and, at times, Peter Murphy) and emotional content. For me, his best vocal performance is in the third track, a story of dying love for which Reid's underplayed delivery beautifully underscores the hopelessness of the dying relationship, and highlights the key phrase "I would not do for diamonds, what you have done for free". Apparently the song also gives name to the album, through the lyric "you killed it in haste, like some lo-fi disgrace".

The album was recorded in Berlin and Manchester. The label is Grumpy Records. In addition to Reid, the band includes Josh Brady, Matt Smithson and Lee Walsh. The group takes its name from a trilogy of plays written by Scottish playwright John Byrne and set in Paisley, the town in which Reid was born. - When You Motor Away

Coming straight outta Glasgow, via Berlin, Laurence Reid has shrugged off the setback of the Cinematics falling apart just after relocating to deliver a slow burner of a debut album. Shimmering, swooping and moody with a Psychedelic Furs meets The House Of Love sound, Lo-fi Disgrace is the sound of a life lived under extremes of emotion and the struggle for equilibrium in a foreign environment (albeit one in which you’re able to construct a studio in your converted loft).

With no histrionics and few fireworks the record’s charms take a couple of listens to reveal themselves but perseverance pays off as you begin to appreciate the subtleties at play. Few of us past a certain age nowadays, at least maybe in western democracies, have the same fears we did during the Cold War of nuclear armageddon but it’s an indicator of how adrift Reid was from the proper comforts of home that this is a topic he covers on ‘Mushroom’, the album’s first song proper and initial single.

Whilst then some of the subject matter may be of a downbeat nature the music surrounding it is a few notches north of melancholia for the bulk of the 11 tracks, managing to maintain hope in the shadow of adversity throughout. Self-producing the work has allowed for freedom of indulgence in the use of found sounds and tinkering with effects on vocals and instruments alike. Where lesser talents may though have diluted the end product with a lack of discipline, Reid’s restraint in terms of the button pushing and knob twiddling side of things is admirable, leading to the overall sound achieved having a net curtain of almost-missed tonal elements hung between the core tunes and the listener at many points.

The Fall are not generally thought of as a jaunty and amusing outfit but Lo-Fi Disgrace’s happiest moments are captured in the song that owes a debt to Mark E. Smith & Co. – ‘Space Dream #2’. The bass part and sound in particular bring the elder band to mind as the continuation of the tale of yesterday’s astronaut plays out. Further shafts of sunlight are provided on the soaring chorus of penultimate track ‘Cry Wolf’ but not enough to suddenly turn things into a soundtrack for the summer. Which, by the time you get to the end of ‘Mothers Kiss Your Children’ you’ll not be in the mood for anyway – contemplation of the bigger things in life is the name of the game, not frivolity. - Musosguide

Written and recorded in Berlin by noise-pop collective Laurence and The Slab Boys, Lo-Fi Disgrace can only be described as a moving and emotionally eclectic debut album. Made up of Larry Reid, previously the guitarist of Scottish band, The Cinematics, bassist Adam Goemans , and an array of friends who have participated in recordings, dubbed by Reid as 'more of a collective than a band', these musicians are a far cry from the expected sound of The Cinematics. The band, named after the trilogy, The Slab Boys, written by Scottish playwright John Byrne, produced this eleven track wonder of a debut album after their transition from the grimey streets of Glasgow to the cultural hub that is Berlin; such evolution, particularly in the musical and instrumental stylings of Reid, is undoubtedly evidenced throughout this noisy dream-pop album.

Reid's drawling and distinctive vocals pump life and emotion into Lo-Fi Disgrace, and are not unlike those of Ian Curtis and the rawness his vocals brought to Joy Division. In terms of dark subject matter and the thematically melancholy, the tracks on this album are further comparable to Joy Division at their darkest, or the political and rebellious musical approach of The Smiths. However, in this album, Laurence and The Slab Boys present the listeners with a struggle between public and private, and convey through the variety of emotion displayed on the tracks, a contest between personal and worldly issues. Third song of the album, 'Do For Diamonds' focuses, through its stark lyricism, on the death of love and the breakup of personal relationships, and spawns the inventive title of the debut, "you killed it in haste, like some lo-fi disgrace." Reid's pained croon, and a distinctive yet mellow rock 'n' roll guitar riff throughout, work together to create a touchingly powerful song, and an emotive introduction to the album. "I would not do for diamonds, what you have done for free," may arguably be one of the most memorable and repeated set of lyrics on Lo-Fi Disgrace, given extra staying power by Reid's soft vocals. Contrastingly, 'Naïve' focuses both on imperialism and consumerism, while 'Mushroom' with its noisy and unclear, guitar centred base line screams censorship, death and the fear of war, with poignant chorus, "I fear we're gonna die young." Though this track, and others on the album, are somewhat instrumentally cheerful, with drums and an array of guitars creating distinct and catchy riffs, the tone throughout remains painful.

Throughout Lo-Fi Disgrace, Laurence and The Slab Boys jump from the somewhat uplifting, with fast-paced instrumentation keeping certain tracks, such as 'Space Dream#2', almost upbeat, to folksy and intrinsically dark. Despite the obvious range in instrumental style, the album maintains a sinister and poignant edge in each of its songs. As the album is brought to its pensive close, 'Cry Wolf' and 'Mothers Kiss Your Children' ensure that it is well and truly rounded off in as brooding a way as it opened. The distinct and lonesome drumbeat of 'Cry Wolf', followed by Reid's enchanting vocals make this track a poignant final thought, and arguably allow it to embody the life- blood of the entire debut.

While 'Mushroom' is the only single currently available on iTunes for a touch of pre-album release listening, it provides merely a taste of the talent of Laurence and The Slab Boys, and the musical ingenuity displayed on this touching, corker of a debut. In terms of its apocalyptic and almost macabre undertones, 'Mushroom' does provide a sense of Lo-Fi Disgrace's melancholy air. However, there is such a great deal of depth, both emotional and political, in this album, that it really needs to be belted out from start to finish.

Rating: 8/10 - the 405

Perhaps inappropriate for the weather, you might be better suited in waiting for Wednesday's rain to really get the best of this, as you come to wallow in the kraut-rock guitars and just a smidgeon of angst. I'm actually being facetious, this is a belter, recalling the Horrors particular brand of shoegaze. Get it whilst it's hot. - the 405

David Bowie, Iggy Pop, U2... er.. Fran Healy. Berlin has often been the city to force out a musician's greatest work. Such was the idea when Scots chilly rockers The Cinematics moved there. But the band collapsed, leaving guitarist Larry Reid stranded after selling his Glasgow home. Fortunately the multi-instrumentalist has created a diamond out of the tears.

His debut single Mushroom is out on Monday and the album is released on June 18. Mushroom is upbeat, with baggy drumming and chiming guitar, while the lyrics are drenched with anxiety as Larry sings: "I fear we're gonna die young". It's a blueprint that follows throughout the album, with a nagging doubt snagging your wish to dance.

It's a record that oozes Echo & The Bunnyman and The Psychedelic Furs, like on Naive with its lyrics "we're just two dots on the dice". - The Daily Record