If artists want to draw like children, do bands want to sound like them?
Nothing In Common comes drenched in the infectious ambition and enthusiasm of youth, buzzing with the energy that all debuts should. But the Edinburgh four-piece have old-heads on their young-shoulders after spending the last year and a half touring the UK, refining their sound and notching up three well received singles in the process.
And their brand of tantalizing guitars and melt-in-your-mouth lyrics transfer well on to their first album. ‘Little Broken Bones’ has the right blend of pop sensibilities and beating emotions, with Raff Eragona’s vocals and sassy guitar throwaways adding sprinklings of wit to this indie number.
‘Diffidence Dance’ is perhaps their most out-there moment, moving through the gears from full band handbrake skids to high-octane guitar scratching with aplomb. Eragona’s vocals are again the cherry on top of this well-layered number, with you able to taste the truth when he admits “There’s always a way you can mess it all up/Then I’ll do that/And if there‘s a way you can make matters worse/I will find that”.
The singles still sound as fresh as when they were but glints in the band’s eyes as well. ‘The Shape Of Things To Come’ is that familiar fumble after a heavy night out whilst ‘The Late 90s’ has guitar lines so sharp you could shave with them. Most recent release ‘Geezlig’ is the highlight of the album, providing equal measures of foot-tapping and chin-stroking for the patient listener.
The OK Social Club’s debut might sit in the sunlight but dig a bit deeper and you’ll also find whisperings of the blues. Unashamedly catchy, it is the sound of the band who have perfected the art of crafting three-minute songs destined to take up rent-free residence in you head. Largely upbeat without being sugar sweet and harbouring some confessional honesty without sounding trite, Nothing In Common demonstrates why they are one of the hottest properties in Scotland right now.
Nothing In Common is available from iTunes NOW – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/nothing-in-common/id585218576
The OK Social Club were nominated for Best Live Act at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards. Vote for your favourites HERE – officialsama.co.uk/vote/
