There’s just something morbidly intriguing about this band…

Date: May 8, 2011

Venue: Rock City

A bit of misery is good for the soul, so goes the old adage. Good for us, then, that our dosage this evening is far beyond the recommended daily allowance. But that’s no criticism, far from it in fact, because Glasvegas’ chilling sound and expansive macabre is intoxicating.

Hewn from heartache, their epic noise-pop is euphoric. Perhaps the reason behind the title of their new record, ‘Euphoric /// Heartbreak \\\’, a large portion of which we hear tonight.

Set opener The World Is Yours’ Bond-esque title is fitting. It’s a cinematic sweep of trembling reverb and towering emotion which leaves hairs tingling, eyes wide, and senses cleansed, even when the usually brilliant Rock City sound is noticeably boggy and threatens to nudge it from its pedestal.

With sound issues resolved, the sheer power and scope of the recent single Euphoria, Take My Hand is overwhelming. Epic doesn’t even begin to describe its magnitude.

Singer James Allan’s searching vocals are impactful. His impassioned howls sound all the more distressed in that strong and mournful Scottish brogue; his emotive voice complementing the band’s stirring soundscapes perfectly. He’s also one of a few men who can get away with wearing shades in the dark without looking like a prize idiot.

The songs from their much-lauded eponymous debut album are met with utter glee.

It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry is immense. James stands in awe is the crowd partake in a near-perfect singalong which he appreciatively applauds.

Go Square Go!, with its terrace-like chant of “Here we f***ing go!” is rousing; Flowers and Football Tops is stripped to its bare bones with just a lonesome synth droning behind James’ sorrowed lament, while set-closer Daddy’s Gone is still the tear-inducing behemoth it’s always been.

You can’t help but be affected by their music. Very few bands marry the intricate weavings of emotion and substance effectively. Misery, it’s fair to say, has never sounded so good.