Broken Records

Despite the heavy A&R presence, Edinburgh’s Broken Records rightly receive a warm reception at their first-ever London show; indeed, the septet leave the stage after a short set to calls for an encore, but are unable to respond to such requests in the affirmative given their support-slot position on a bill of three.

The Revue Bar’s an odd place to make your capital city debut – salubrious though it is, there’s something peculiarly seedy about its surroundings, a feeling bolstered by the strip-joint neighbourhood it nestles within. Still, with banked seating and chandelier glistening, the band opens to rapturous applause. “Has anyone seen us in Scotland?” asks vocalist Jamie to a deafening silence. “Thought not.” On this evidence, though, it’s salt in a wound that’s growing with each visitation of the band’s recorded material to date – should have really seen this in the flesh sooner.

As songs like ‘A Good Reason’ and the forthcoming Young Turks debut single ‘If The News Makes You Sad, Don’t Watch It’, both available on the band’s sold-at-shows demo EP (review), ripple about this small venue with such force you’re left wondering just what the fixtures are attached with – bolts tough enough to resist bomb blasts, presumably. Affecting and stirring in equal proportions – certain songs aimed squarely at the heart, others at the dancing shoes – Broken Records’ Arcade Fire-goes-to-Stirling shtick mightn’t be wholly 100 per cent original, but their execution is as good as flawless, and the immediacy these songs are laced with bodes incredibly well for their future.

‘Slow Parade’, again available on the aforementioned EP (pick it up if you’re able, as it’s likely to become a little piece of history of its makers’ present tangent continues unchecked by negative feedback), closes the set out with a confident swoon, the band’s string section merging with a triumphant trumpet to deliver a spine-tingling cacophony that’s unparalleled by anything ‘new’ this writer’s seen so far in 2008. And this is their first show in front of such an obviously industry-sourced crowd, too; a crowd that still gave it up come the set’s climax. That, surely, can only be a great thing. Less ones to watch, then, and more ones to see immediately.

Broken Records will play the DiScover Club at London’s Notting Hill Arts Club on April 5, with Vessels and The Monroe Transfer – details can be found HERE