THERE are some surprises on the new album from Glasgow rodeo-folk rockers Kassidy.
Chief among these is a writing credit from no less a pop overlord than Nick Cave.
There Is a War Coming, from Kassidy's second album One Man Army, takes its title and tumultuous refrain from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' Hiding All Away. What persuaded Cave to hand over his choleric blues-psalm to the Scottish acoustic axe-slingers? "I just phoned him up," says co-vocalist Barrie-James O'Neill. "I was like, 'Nick, look, we've got this tune, it's really rocking, and we'd love to use your line for the chorus.' He just said, 'Yeah, cool', he was awesome."
Kassidy are no strangers to incongruous pop narratives. Like the time they had to change their moniker from Cassidy (as in Butch) after rumoured threats from the US rapper of the same name; or the fact that they flag up Joanna Newsom and Greek mythology as inspirations on the new album (alongside more discernible signposts like Crosby, Stills & Nash). Not to mention the alleged romance betwixt O'Neill and drawl-pop star Lana Del Rey.
The country-rock four-piece have taken to covering Del Rey's languorous hit, Video Games, live. Can we expect Del Rey to repay the favour? Cover a Kassidy song, perhaps, or duet on one of their new tracks? "Lana's a total angel man, she's a great artist and a great performer," offers O'Neill. "She's sung a few Kassidy tunes, she hangs about with us, but as far as doing something together in the future, that's an unknown territory."
One Man Army re-visits Hope St's classic folk-rock terrain, but its battle-cries – There Is a War Coming; The Hunted – are at odds with their debut's harmonic odes to riding, stray cats and old songs. Have Kassidy found a social conscience?
"The title song is more about people in everyday life," offers O'Neill. "Everybody experiences that feeling where you think you're the only one fighting your battle, and One Man Army is speaking directly to them."
O'Neill suggests their new material recharges the Kassidy sound. "Our only criticism of Hope Street is that it lacked intensity, it didn't quite meet our expectations of what we are live – live we like to knock people's heads off. That's what we set out to do with One Man Army. It's a monster."
One Man Army is out on Monday; Kassidy play Perth Concert Hall May 25, Edinburgh Pleasance Courtyard May 26 and 27 and Dunfermline Carnegie Hall May 28.
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