Being a patron of Last Night From Glasgow means that I receive albums made by musicians who are normally a long way out of my comfort zone.
One such example was the debut record from Air In The Lungs, released in April 2023. Here’s the bio:-
“Air In The Lungs is the new project from Edinburgh-based musician Deborah Arnott.
The album is an atmospheric exploration into bereavement and nostalgia, covering subjects such as worker’s rights, adversity and hope. Upbeat, downbeat, with swelling synths, jagged guitars and atmospheric percussion, it is unafraid to be stark and bare, yet vivid and uplifting.
Deborah recorded the album with multi-instrumentalist Pat McGarvey (Southern Tenant, Coal Porters, The Arlenes) leading percussionist Rich Kass (Trio HLK, Evelyn Glennie) and Davey McAulay (Mogwai, King Creosote and Emma Pollock). It was produced by Paul Savage (The Delgados, Mogwai, The Twilight Sad) at Chem19 studios and funded by Creative Scotland.
Deborah is also known for her enchanting vocals and musicianship in well-loved and critically-acclaimed band Blueflint.”
Bluefint was another name that meant nothing to me, but here’s the bio from the band’s website:-
“Blueflint began in 2003 as a duo based around the close harmonies of Deborah Arnott and Clare Neilson whose voices, both ethereal and warm, interweave through raw, honest and beautifully-crafted songs. In 2008 they extended the band to incorporate fiddle, double-bass and drums in a line-up that deftly captures the atmospheric Blueflint sound.
Their critically acclaimed third album, ‘Stories from Home‘ released in 2015, sees the duo songwriters naturally evolving towards an alt folk flavour, incorporating electric guitar and keyboard into their acoustic sound. Stories of relationships, parenthood and life in a home town form the thread running through this eclectic yet captivating album, with Paul Savage (King Creosote, From Scotland with Love, Mogwai) in the producer’s chair.
After a successful spring album launch tour and recent live performances at ‘The BBC Quay Sessions with Edith Bowman,’ and BBC Radio 2’s ‘Drivetime with Simon Mayo’, Blueflint will be touring again this autumn.
In previous years Blueflint supported The Proclaimers on their ‘Like Comedy’ UK tour, and proved themselves to be a formidable live act whose evocative performances have gained them a strong reputation and following throughout the UK.
Selected as part of the ‘Made in Scotland 2013‘ Showcase, the band played to sell-out Edinburgh Fringe performances and have gone from strength to strength as a singular and unique act on the UK musical scene, playing prestigious venues and festivals such as Celtic Connections and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party.
Previously released albums ‘High Bright Morning’ (2009) and ‘Maudy Tree’ (2011) gained the band plaudits throughout the music press and national radio play.
Their debut single ‘Take your shoes off’ gained radio play on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster and many other local and national radio shows.
Blueflint are Deborah Arnott [vocals; bluegrass banjo; ukulele]; Clare Neilson [vocals; clawhammer banjo]; Jo Jeffries [fiddle]; Hugh Kelly [double bass], and Ruairidh Saunders [drums].”
In all honesty, these are not the sort of bios that would have me rushing out to explore, but I’m more than happy to support the concept behind Last Night From Glasgow, whereby the membership investment is spent on recording, mixing, mastering, manufacturing and promoting music of the artists on the label, in the full knowledge and understanding that sometimes I’ll end up with a record that will do not much more than gather dust after an initial listen. There will be other examples over the coming weeks and months of this long-running series, but for the most part, LNFG has provided more hits than misses over the years.
I say all that from a personal perspective. Some of you may really enjoy today’s offering.
mp3: Air In The Lungs – Sweet Is The Dream
Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio 6 played this one and described it as ‘a lovely gentle thing.’
Other tracks on the album have also received a lot of praise from many quarters. But, sorry to say, it isn’t for me.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 