My Latest Novel were part of the music scene in Scotland from around 2005-2010, releasing two critically acclaimed albums of indie/folk, as well as touring extensively, either around small venues as headliners, or in larger spaces as support acts to, among others, Arab Strap, Low and British Sea Power. I even recall them opening for Scritti Politti at a gig in Edinburgh in 2006.
The five-piece consisted of Chris Deveney, Gary Deveney, Paul McGeachy, Laura McFarlane and Ryan King, all from the town of Greenock some 20 miles west of Glasgow. They were a cultured band, relying heavily on violins, xylophones, multi-part vocals and percussion, as well as the traditional guitar, bass and drums. They were occasionally referred to in the local press as a less bombastic and less frantic Arcade Fire.
I used the word ‘were’ as I had long assumed the band had broken up after Paul and Laura left in 2010, but there’s still an active twitter account that states, in the intro:-
“We’re a band! We’re Gary, Chris, Paul and Ryan. We’re on Bella Union Records. We live and have fun in Scotland!”
So it seems that somewhere along the line, Paul has rejoined. In saying that, there hasn’t been any new material released since the second album, Deaths and Entrances, in 2009. This is taken from that piece of work:-
mp3: My Latest Novel – All In All In All Is All
I gave both of their albums listen for the first time in many years when I was putting this piece together. (The debut was Wolves, released in 2006). I had forgotten how understatedly enjoyable they were.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 