The Nightingales, Mind Over Matter (Louder Than War)
With a trading history dating back 35 years, when they metamorphosed from proto-punks The Prefects, and a 21st century rebirth now prolifically a decade old, Robert Lloyd's group is well worth the documentary suggested, and spoofed, on track 10 of their new album, entitled Gales Doc.
Over a beguilingly formulaic backing, Lloyd arrogantly asserts that his combo is "more varied in their approach to music-making" than their peers, and you would be foolish to argue. Now working out of Faust's studio in Germany and including Andreas Schmid from Faust on bass, ex Violet Violet drummer Fliss Kitson and then wonderfully fluid and funky James Smith on guitar, The Nightingales can channel the Magic Band on the opening For Goodness Sake, become the Stax house session band on track two, The Only Son, and then provide a super club jazzy groove behind a Barry White drawl on Ripe Old Age before the space-dub instrumental spiced with free improv trombone and field recordings of birdsong that is For Different Folks.
Then there are Lloyd's marvellous lyrics: Taffy Come Home, troops "through leeks and daffodils" and quotes Sweet's Blockbuster, and Great British Exports brackets Midsomer Murders and Mumford and Sons with other British colonial misadventures. Brilliant stuff.
Keith Bruce
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article