The Skunnered: Good Morning Glasgow Town

[John (Biscuits and Gravy) Davy]

 

www.reverbnation.com/theskunnered

The Skunnered are four guys from Glasgow playing their own unique blend of easy rocking country and Scots folk song, with a dollop of Glasgow street song in there for good measure and all sung in their native accent. There's a wry humour at work in the very construction of that sound which shows through in their songs. There's a homeliness, too, which comes over in the straightforward, distinctly un-polished production; these guys are more than happy to be singing for their own folk - I don't think there's a world domination plan brewing here - and the songs are full of location-specific references that would resonate best with hometown audiences.

       The best of these songs will more than likely establish themselves in local tradition, most especially the title song which takes a stroll around the city centre on the morning after the night before and is full of gruff affection for the city and its citizens:

"Good morning, Glasgow toon as you wake up from last evening

 Frae your dancing and your dining and your dreams

 Did you spend your wage and more? Did you sleep alone or score?

 Is Glasgow miles better for its schemes?".

 

        Bassist Chas Cunningham does most of the writing and his songs are driven along with a firm pulse from Andy Lindsay on percussion and from whoever takes the melody line, whether it's  Paul Shepherd on guitar or chief vocalist Andrew MacMillan on mandolin.  It has to be said that the singing generally is not the strongest - plenty good enough for a gig in the pub but the recording studio is a bit unforgiving. However, this is quite definitively a band to see live; at their most folk-y they're cheerfully rousing and you'd have to be pretty churlish not to be won over by their breezy good humour.

John Davy

The Skunnered on FSR http://flyinshoes.ning.com/profile/ChasCunningham 

[The Skunnered]

John, many thanks for the thoughtful review and kind words. Now off  to begin the world domination plan....