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Five Best…Bands/Artists from Scotland
Including Jack Bruce and the Vaselines
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Tonight at the Williamsburg Waterfront, weather-permitting, Belle & Sebastian and Teenage Fanclub will perform to thousands of sweater and jacket-clad audience members. The two are a natural fit together because a) neither rock too hard, b) they both know the value of a good harmony, and c) they’re both from Scotland. It’s basically the Scottish version of Springsteen and Mellencamp hitting the road together.
But are either Belle or Teenage one of the five best Scottish bands? See below:
#5. Jack Bruce
Just because Eric Clapton is an insufferable blowhard doesn’t mean everyone in Cream was a insufferable blowhard. Bruce’s basslines are just as memorable as Clapton’s licks, and he’s also worked with John Mayall (as a Bluesbreaker), Ringo Starr (as an All-Star Band member) and Frank Zappa (not as a Mother of Invention).
#4. The Proclaimers
Does having one song make you better than Travis, Wet Wet Wet, Simple Minds, Teenage Fanclub, Donovan and Franz Ferdinand? When the song’s as perfect as “(I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles,” yes. Johnny Depp knows, as do Jason Segel and Josh Radnor on How I Met Your Mother. Even Family Guy gets it. The Proclaimers may have never topped “500 Miles” (although “Sunshine on Leith” is pretty good), but how do you top perfection?
#3. The Vaselines
We wrote about them recently, but just a reminder: formed in 1986; released first EP, Son of a Gun, in 1987; released second EP, Dying for It, in 1988; released first full-length, Dum-Dum, in 1989; got a small, but fervent fanbase; broke up in 1989; Kurt Cobain sang “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” on MTV Unplugged; grew more popular; reunited in 2006; and released second album, Sex with an X, last week. They’re also playing Webster Hall on October 6.
#2. The Jesus and Mary Chain
We were all ready to put this Glasgow group on our list of Five More Band Reunions That Need to Happen (Minus the Smiths) ’til we remembered: they’re technically still together. Yes, they haven’t released an album 1998′s Munki and their only new song in 12 years, All Things Must Pass, was included on the Heroes soundtrack, but Jesus and Mary Chain, namely Jim and William Reid, are an active band, at least according to Jim in a three-year-old NME article. Until they release something new, or sing with ScarJo again, we’ll have to settle with Psychocandy and Darklands.
#1. Belle & Sebastian
Considering this is the second post about them today, did you really think we wouldn’t put them #1? These lads (and gals) from Glasbow have released three perfect albums (If You’re Feeling Sinister, Tigermilk and The Boy with the Arab Strap), and even their weakest effort (Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant) is better than most records. Plus, they’re way cooler than the Bay City Rollers, also from Scotland.