It was back on 30 May 2017 that Jacques the Kipper took over this little corner of the internet to compose a glowing review of the debut album from Sons Of The Descent in which he offered as short commentary on all 11 of its tracks.
You won’t be too surprised that I picked up the album on the basis of his review and I also accompanied him along to see the band’s live debut when they were the main support to The Wendys at a gig in Glasgow back in September.
I’m delighted to say that the album more than lives up to the praise heaped on it by my sparring partner while the duo of Hugh Duggie (ex Foil) and Ian White (ex Wendys) brought all their considerable experience to bear to deliver great live renditions of the standout tracks.
I’m sure you won’t mind if I do simply reproduce much of what JtK said back in May, along with a few other cut’n’ pastes of other reviews:-
“What do you expect when a member of best-known-in-the-90s indie band, The Wendys teams up with a former member of late-90s noiseniks, Foil, to make music? Probably not an album that contains more hooks than Vinnie Jones’s rucksack on a wild fishing weekend. But that is indeed what has happened on Lazy Glamour, the first album by Sons of the Descent, a self-produced masterpiece of electronica and guitars.” (The New Vinyl Villain)
“Edinburgh’s Sons Of The Descent have released their brilliant debut album, Lazy Glamour. With influences on the album as diverse as David Bowie, Happy Mondays and Wire you will not be disappointed with this monster groove cauldron of an album.” (Louder Than War)
“Old pop groups may fade away, but what of those who never quite became ‘stars’? Plenty of acts remain independent and making music for, well, the love of it, we assume. This duo were, respectively, signed to mega-indies Factory and Mute, and their 10 tracks follow in those footsteps – mixing the introspective (some might say doominess) of the Manc mega label with shades of electronic pop that spawned the likes of Depeche Mode. In truth we’ve no idea where they’ve been since the 1980s, but they’re welcome back any time.” (Is This Music?)
“Hugh Duggie and Ian White are the waggish brains behind this low-key smorgasbord of quietly crafted off-kilter pop gems. The effect of such pick-and-mix diversity is akin to turning the pages of a collection of fictional miniatures culled from a twilight zone occupied by Hogarthian pub bores and other animals. A textured subtlety peppers every song, some laced with a sly, dry-as-bone wit to offset the darkness.” (Product Magazine)
Again, the album is available via bandcamp, as a digital release for £8 or as a CD for £10, sums of money you won’t regret spending. You can also listen to all ten tracks to try before you buy. Click here
This is the album opener
mp3 : Sons Of The Descent – Look At The Sky
“If you enjoy a bit of Mark E Smith style vocalising over the first of those hooks I talked about, then I reckon you’ll like Hugh imploring you to “Look At The Sky”. Notable also for the first use of “Englandshire” in a song – that I’m aware of anyway. Also the source of the album title.” (Jacques the Kipper)
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 