I know, I know, I haven't been paying this site as much attention these days I really should. I have pretty much restricted myself to posting Fresh Meat blogs every Monday to keep things ticking over, but every so often something pops up that I feel that I want to make that extra bit of effort for. In this instance that something special is the new Adam Stafford album, Imaginary Walls Collapse, which of course those of you who are followers of the Scottish music scene should already know, came out a week or so ago. I might pretend that I am still able to keep up with everything that's going on in the Scottish music scene these days, but trying to write posts about it is much easier said than done. Fuck, I have done it again. I always aim to write about the music, then I end up waffling on about myself.
Anyway, back to the point, 'Imaginary Walls Collapse' is in my opinion the finest record that you're likely to hear in all of 2013. Trying to summarise what the album sounds like is beyond my limited writing skills. Theirs an array of loops, beatboxing and some fine fine pop music. Actually it's a million times better than the way that I am selling it. So rather than write some feeble attempt at a review I decided to get Adam to write a wee bit about the album and what the sons mean to him. So without further ado, here's a wee track by track from the fabulous Mr Adam Stafford...
1. Imaginary Walls Collapse
Satan is indefinite detention without trial, secret courts and protest censorship. Satan is sweetheart tax deals, the denigration of the poor, vulnerable and mentally ill. Satan is backroom handshakes, anti-transparency, anti-intellectualism and profit-over-people. It's the bondage of debt and work and your place in society. The Devil prevails when good men do nowt.
2. Vanishing Tanks
I read a story once about a woman who becomes the lover of the poltergeist who haunted her as a child.
3. Ghostly Arms
When I was a little kid I used to get sent to bed early during the summer holidays and outside, you could hear all the other kids playing in the street. It's a terrible feeling that's dogged me all my life.
4. Please
I like Low, and I like Roy Orbison. I tried to combine them on this.
5. Cold Seas
Siobhan Wilson sings "Into the light, into the rain". She is very good. I try to get a different female vocalist to collaborate on each release to keep it fresh by working with new people. Hopefully in the future I'll be able to phase out my own voice on the albums and have it entirely feminine.
Carshalton Girls is an all-girls school in Carshalton, strangely enough. There was something about the name that stuck, I changed Carshalton to Carshulton for no apparent reason. I listened into a call where the headmaster was reporting "Older Boys on the premises" to the police. It made me laugh.
7. Invisible Migration
When the banking crisis hit, and the subsequent aftermath, it was sickening to see so many families lose their homes to the merry pide-pipper as he lead us all off the bridge. And we sat back and watched it happen.
8. The Sound of Fear Evaporating
Sometimes this is my favourite song on the album, other times I think it sounds bland-as-fuck. It's healthy to have that relationship with your songs I think. Siobhan's vocal harmonies always make it listenable whatever mood I'm in though.
9. His Acres
In Southern Ireland, when a female is courting and there's talk of marriage in the air, one might hear the phrase "Have you walked his acres" i.e., have you surveyed his land/inheritance, and; "Would you like to be buried with his people" - are you ready to be initiated into his family.
10. Phased Return
What is there to say about this final track? It's about getting older, looking back at all of the let-downs in your life and thinking, Ach, I don't really care!
Imaginary Walls Collapse is out now on 12″ vinyl and digital download via Song, By Toad.You can pick yourself up a copy here.
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