Remember Cumbernauld’s finest? The Dykeenies? No not them. Make Model? Nah I don’t know or care where they came from.
I am of course referring to We are the Physics, from 2004-2008 they rode the success of One Records, along with The Flying Matchsticks, they were the bands that introduced me to Glasgow bands that were of a certain level in the early to mid 2000s, when I was young boy soon to become a man.
So it is with great joy I am writing a piece explaining why their first track, ‘Goran Ivanisavic’, from their new album surpasses a vast majority of music coming out of Glasgow.
First thing you notice is the sonic qualities of this track; it is grand – the glitchy playing that is organic in source often sounded manipulated on previous recordings.
However, either through choice or use of four years practice has allowed The Physics to successfully incorporate the spazzes into their actual playing and capture the intricacies of the phrases.
The humour of weird noises goes beyond jokes as there appears to be frequencies placed into the recording that will make the audiophile worry that the earth of his amplifier isn’t working and make the headphone listener fear that have finally moved their tinnitus up a tone due to over use of in ear headphones (opening 30 seconds).
The vast majority of bands kicking about in Glasgow, outside of the DIY/experimental scenes, right now that are receiving kudos are heavily indebted to a decade aesthetic.
Very few bands are utilising their chosen aesthetic as an approach to inspiration; they seem to fall back on using their aesthetic as a guide of how to execute their activity.
Here we get hints of surf rock (“the only genre to capture the same intensity of good punk rock” someone once told me), which is sure to appear on future tracks off planned album.
However the combination of self (?), originality and musicianship sees The Physics apart from most of their Glasgow peers.
The intellect and brawn of this track is hopefully carried in the long player and hopefully they will avoid the pitfalls of labels and managers that plagued their 2007 run.
This in turn will rid them of the “MySpace the band” tag they unfairly were associated with due to the promotive muscle that acquired.
More technical than any band with a “tight” drummer.
More heartfelt and earnest than any band with a thick Scottish accent.
More alternative than any weird BlogSpot found influence.
More punk than any band with patched denim jackets.
WATP deserve the success and respect they will ultimately gain if the level of quality of this single is upheld through the rest of their new album.
The best thing about it is I doubt they care about anything other than the output of their own band.
That makes them not just Cumbernauld’s finest, but Glasgow’s finest.
Words: Gayham Crisps
