Can you think of a better album made by a Scottish artist?
Author:
Pete
Martin
Posted:
2009-03-17
We think James Grant’s new album is ‘nae bad’. But maybe you know there’s a better album made by a Scottish artist? Leave a reply below, stating your own favourite Scottish album of all time (and a reason if you have one).
The best 5 replies will win a limited edition Strange Flowers t-shirt.*
If you need some inspiration – or indeed outrage – check out the Top 100 Scottish Rock and Pop Albums, as voted for by readers of The Scotsman back in 2003…
(*L and XL only)
About the author
Pete Martin. Award-winning 'adman', writer and film director. Founding director of SMARTS, and former Executive Creative Director of The Gate Worldwide in New York.
March 20th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Hello friendly people of the gate!
I can dig James Grant, but off the top of my head these albums are better:
When the Haar Rolls In by James Yorkston
KC Rules OK by King Creosote
My Secret Is My Silence by Roddy Woomble
Before the Ruin by Mccusker, Woomble, and Drever
Black Water by Kris Drever
Lightweights & Gentlemen by Lau
Blackened Sky by Biffy Clyro
For me, Hope is Important by Idlewild is the best because it reminds me of home.
But, obviously, this opinion is based on the music alone. If we were voting on ‘best designed cover sleeve’ you guys would win. Hands down.
Cheerio amigos,
Tom.
March 24th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Clanadonia “Keepin’ it Tribal” is a brilliant Scottish Album.
March 24th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
My favourite sottish album has to be
Love and Money - Dogs In The Traffic
March 24th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
For me, it has to be either: Howdy by Teenage Fanclub, You can’t hide your love forever by Orange Juice or maybe the Pearlfishers’ Across the Milky Way.
March 24th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Sawdust in My Veins by James Grant. It’s the best Scottish album ever.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
My fav is:
Mark Knopfler-Local Hero soundtrack.
For me this perfectly encapsulates what Scotland means to me.
The many,superbly played,instruments create a uniquely Scottish atmosphere.Wherever I am in the world I put this on and think of home.
The new JG album is pretty good and well worth a listen.
I hope it continues to grow on me.
March 24th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
I would have to go with New Gold Dream by Simple Minds (although Love and Moneys 2nd and 3rd albums, and James Grants first run it close).
Its a time of life thing for me - I was in my early teens when it came out (when your musical horizons really start to open up), and I can vividly remember me and my mates playing footy in the sun at dinnertime at achool with NGD playing on a mates tape machine. I scored some great goals (in off the pile of coats) to Promised You a Miracle and the rest of that great album
March 24th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Dear Pete
If I were Vertical Records, I’m not sure I’d be terribly happy with the inferred reference at the top of the page. “Better” is such objective words, and the appreciation of music isn’t (unless you’re the Brits and just look at sales). Couldn’t you ask for people’s “favourite” instead? Less inflammatory.
And just to continue my rant, I’m going to nominate Strange Flowers as my favourite Scottish album, since before and after 2003.
I’m here for the love, not the t-shirt.
Best
J
March 24th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
i love scottish music and cant seperate 5 fave jock albums, they are as follows in no particular order
Deacon Blue - Raintown
Love & Money - Strange Kind of Love
Stephen Lindsay - Exit Music
Jerry Burns - Jerry Burns
The Blue Nile - Hats
As you can see from the list above the scottish are a talented bunch……Bravo
March 24th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
For me it has to be The Bathers” unusual places to die”, very hard to get a hold of but well worth the effort. Plus it also has the bonus of James Grant providing the bv’s on some of the tracks. Stand out song on the album for me is “Candide”.
March 24th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
New Gold Dream - Simple MinDS
Hipsway - Hipsway
Love and Money - Dogs In the Traffic
March 24th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Raintown - Deacon Blue
March 25th, 2009 at 9:06 am
There have been many great albums by Scottish bands over the years by the likes of James Grant/Love & Money, John Martyn, The Bathers, Trashcan Sinatras, Aztec Camera, Orange Juice, and Teenage Fanclub.
However, I’m going to put forward The Blue Nile’s ‘Walk Across The Rooftops’ as my personal favourite purely for its inventiveness. No other band sounds quite like The Blue Nile, the lush, sparse symphonic arrangements showcased on this record along with Paul Buchanan’s velvet vocals make this a fascinating listen 26 years on. Their other albums have maintained a high standard but this one is a hard act to follow and has aged well. And to think that it was initially recorded for an electronics company who were looking to test the versatility of recording equipment!
March 25th, 2009 at 10:57 am
The Crossing by Big Country
It seemed to carry me through my adolecent years (and long beyond) … plus it made me want to pick up a guitar.
March 25th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
stand out album Love and Money- Dogs in the Traffic
James Grant-Strange Flowers is up there
stand out track My Fathers Coat
March 25th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Orange Juice ‘You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever’
followed by, in no particular order…
Ivor Cutler ‘Life In A Scotch Living Room Part 2′
Roddy Frame ‘Surf’
James Grant ‘My Thrawn Glory’
Roddy Woobble ‘My Secret Is My Silence’
Jesus & Mary Chain ‘Psychocandy’
Cocteau Twins ‘Head Over Heals’
Billy MacKenzie ‘Beyond The Sun’
Deacon Blue ‘Raintown’
Skids ‘The Absalute Game’
March 25th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Depends what mood you are in….
March 25th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
What about the 3 E.P.s by The Beta Band?
Or are we only doing stuff from the “Golden Age of Scottish Pop”.
If so, how about Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole?
March 25th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Silly question !
Strange Flowers is easily the best James Grant Album.. well easily is pushing it .. but its the best one no doubt in my mind. However as music is subjective your opinion which I value of course may differ.
My musical tastes are obviously different from those who have replied already. My favourite other Scottish Albums are
1) Nazareth - Hair of the Dog
2) Sensational Alex Harvey Band - SAHB Stories
3) Frankie Miller - Full House
4) Karen Mathieson - Downriver
5) The Proclaimers - 1st Album …
Stuart Munn
March 26th, 2009 at 1:15 am
downriver - karen matheson
March 26th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
A Blues For Buddha (the silencers)
March 26th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Got to be High Land, Hard Rain by Aztec Camera because it was the only tape I had to listen to while I was laid up in bed for two weeks with my girlfriend waiting on me hand and foot. Was a student in Middlesbrough at the time and any record that can make you chuffed to be alive in the industrial wastelands of the 1980s deserves this accolade (at the very least!)
March 26th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
much as it will annoy Mr Grant, I think Strange Kind of Love by Love & Money is far and away the greatest Scottish Album.
March 26th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
best scottish album of all time has to be zas zas garden by the pearlfishers just ask brian wilson
March 26th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
I’ve been loking through the choices made by folks , and there are some brilliant albums mentioned….Love and Money,Aztec Camera, Orange Juice, Trashcan Sinatras, Bathers, Pearlfishers all great artists, but my favourite is Paul Quinn and The Independent Groups’ album ‘The Phantoms and the Archetypes’.Quite simply Paul Quinn is THE best vocalist.He can hit notes that make the hairs on the back of your kneck stand up!
I bought Strange Flowers a couple of weeks ago and it’s on constant rotation on my i-pod, as is certainly a contender for album of the year!
March 27th, 2009 at 5:26 am
First off, let’s just say that Strange Flowers is a superb album and I really hope it gives JG the success he deserves…
Great vocalist, great guitarist (and he reminds us of that on this album, particularly on the epic ‘My Father’s Coat!) and a gifted songwriter. Wonderful! Get yerself a copy, you won’t be disappointed, I promise!
Anyway, older Scottish favourites…
1) Strange Kind Of Love (or maybe Dogs In The Traffic) - L&M
2) My Thrawn Glory - James Grant
3) Hats - Blue Nile
4) New Gold Dream - Simple Minds
5) Hipsway - Hipsway
6) Bittersuite - Hue & Cry
7) Southside - Texas
9) Raintown - Deacon Blue
10) Sulk - The Associates
March 27th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Ivor Cutler’s Dandruff. A timeless product from the 70’s, it introduced the world to Scottish families micturating in a sponge. The harmonium has never been put to better use in the calypso of I believe in bugs.
A one-off absurdist antidote to the grimness of growing up in a Scotch living room.
March 27th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I´d go for Trapped and unwrapped by Friends Again because I have followed the careers of Chris Thomson and James Grant ever since - there are plenty of excellent Scottish albums to choose from : You can´t hide….by Orange Juice,Raintown-Deacon Blue ,anything by James Grant or the Bathers ,High Land,Hard rain-Aztec Camera ,Weightlifting-Trashcan Sinatras and so on …
March 27th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Reading the responses there, yes, Walk across the Rooftops Blue Nile.
New Gold Dream was pretty important too, although I must confess I have never replaced any Simple Minds lps to CDs,
Hipsway - Hipsway,
Love and Money- L&M
Eddi Reader - Mirmama
But my vote goes to the superb ‘Strange Flowers’, by James Grant ‘ the best Scottish Album in years!
March 27th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
First off, let’s just say that Strange Flowers is a superb album and I really hope it gives JG the success he deserves…
Great vocalist, great guitarist (and he reminds us of that on this album, particularly on the epic ‘My Father’s Coat!) and a gifted songwriter. Wonderful! Get yerself a copy, you won’t be disappointed, I promise!
Anyway, older Scottish favourites…
1) Strange Kind Of Love (or maybe Dogs In The Traffic) - L&M
2) My Thrawn Glory - James Grant
3) Hats - Blue Nile
4) New Gold Dream - Simple Minds
5) Hipsway - Hipsway
6) Bittersuite - Hue & Cry
7) Southside - Texas
9) Raintown - Deacon Blue
10) Sulk - The Associates
March 27th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
So many to list but the following do it for me
1. Raintown (Deacon Blue). When I first heard this it was on cassette and I ended up listening to the B side first. To be honest I did’nt quite get it but then I discovered the error of my ways. The into into Raintown must rate as one of the finest ever with the thread continuing to the monster tracks of Loaded, Chocolate Girl, Telephone & Dignity. Reminds me so much of Glasgow and the west of Scotland in the late eighties. Might even look out that old ford escort and cruise down to Largs for an ice cream at Nardinis.
2. Bandwagonesque (Fan Club) - Every track a stand out. Unbelievable talent. Includes the immortal line ’she dosen’t do drugs but she’s on the pill’. Genius
3. Za Za’s Garden (Pearlfishers) -Mesmerising album from a band that stayed largely unrecognised during the halycon days of Scottish music. Tracks such as Bedroom on the Siene, Blanket of ribbons & St Francis Songs are rearkable tracks.
4. Mother Nature’s Kitcken (KMO) - What a stand out debut album.
5. Swimmer, Creeping up on Jesus & Satellites (The Big Dish) - Immense. As a die-hard Motherwell fan it was hard to appreciate anything good coming out of Airdrie however in this case I will make an excepion.
6. Hipsway (Hipsway) - Short lived quality.
7 Tigermilk (Belle and Sebastian) - From ‘The state I am in’ through to ‘Mary Jo’ this album is outstanding. Hit or a misssince then but you cannot deny the quality of this album.
8 Bite it (Whiteout) - Contained the spellbinding track ‘Jackie’s Racing’. This track on it’s own is enough to enter the top 9.
9 A walk across the rooftops (The Bue Nile) - Seven immense tracks which summed up Glasgow at this particulat time.
That’s me finished. I’m away to look out my retro 1978 Scotland top, crack open a couple of cans of Kestrel lager and play some guid music. Ah, you can’t beat nostalgia.
March 27th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
My favourites would have to include My Thrawn Glory and Strange Flowers by James Grant; Notes On Sunset by Hobotalk; Weightlifting by Trashcan Sinatras; Bookmarks by Roddy Hart.
However just beating Grand Prix for my favourite is Songs From Northern Britain by the brilliant Teenage Fanclub. Just great songs which I like to listen to often, both on my stereo and Ipod
March 27th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
While I think James Grant’s solo material and L&M work is fantastic (especially Strange Flowers)…. I’m going to head a little further off the beaten track by suggesting Steven Lindsay’s ‘Exit Music’.
This piano led collection of songs is ‘midnight listening’ at its best - capturing the urban feel of The Blue Nile with the melodies of the Trashcan Sinatra’s. Like all great singers, Lindsay sings straight from the heart and delivers some wonderfully crafted material.
I’d also like to suggest:
Del Amitri - Twisted
Roddy Frame - Surf
Uncle Devil Show - A Terrible Beauty
Bathers - Pandemonium
March 27th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
In my early youth I was a huge Skids and Simple Minds follower. Therefore ‘Scared To Dance’, ‘Days In Europa’ and ‘The Absolute Game’ by the Skids and ‘Celebrate’, ‘Empires & Dance’ and ‘Life In A Day’ by Simple Minds were on a constant loop in my parent’s house - much to their dismay!
After the break up fo the Richard Jobson/Stuart Adamson partnership, I followed Jobson’s path more closely than Adamson’s.
Jobson’s work with the ‘Armoury Show’ (with the brilliant late, lamented John McGeoch) was/is much underated. One excellent album came from them called ‘Waiting For The Floods’.
Jobson’s solo album, ‘Badman’, is also well worth a listen.
Always felt that Goodbye Mr MacKenzie deserved far far greater success than they achieved. Three brilliant albums!
So many more I love to listen to, but my favourite album is ‘The Same Sky’, by Horse. Gorgeous from beginning to end, with ten absolutely fantastic songs. I don’t know of one person who has heard it that doesn’t love it.
March 27th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
James’ own Holy Love, or Roddy Frame - Surf. I can’t decide
March 29th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Gerry Rafferty - City to City
Simply for Baker Street, arguably the greatest song written by a Scot. Great sax, great guitar, and silky smooth vocals.
Superb.
James Grant, love all his stuff, new album is a grower, as all his music is, but Bay at the Nape of Your Neck is very catchy.
I also love I Shot the Albatross.
March 30th, 2009 at 1:30 am
What a question - I need to dig out my old LP’s and have a listen.
Raintown naturally springs to mind as a piece of music that I had on LP, copied to tape, then CD and now I-pod’d. After all these years it still takes me back to GLASGOW, Suachiehall street, the Mitchell Library, Byres Road - just awesome. But the best ?
Hispway is certainly top 10 and interestingly getting better as I get older.
Dogs in the Traffic - mindblowingly good.
My Thrawn Glory - criminal that such talent as James is classified in the same breath as the disposal top 40 trash. Awesome. If we were doing a best Scottish song ever written - I want to start the bidding with “does it all add up to nothing” Go on - listen to it now and try and contradict me. Oh Sh&t - I’ll do it myself - Dark country.
Grand Prix - Teenage Fan Club…..got to be top 10
Aztec Camera - Love. Still great
Love & Money - Strange kind of love
Swimmer - Big Dish. Go on - find a copy, listen again. It hasn’t aged at all.
Trapped & Unwrapped - Friends again - young Mr Grant at it again.
Meet Danny Wilson - Danny Wilson. Bet you’d forgotten about them. Try it, then get a copy of their other albums. Just good.
Littledeath - Love & Money
All you need is… - Love & Money. Still F@cking great.
This is the Story - the Proclaimers. Proud to be, talk & act Scottish. I remember the is being a revelation. never ever throw the “R” away !
GlasVegas - Glasvegas - gives you hope that there are still enough young lads in Glasgow with grievance, a guitar and some talent.
Sawdust in my veins - James Grant. Cure for life, Hide, No Chicane, this is the last time…got to be top 3
The cutter & the clan - Runrig. Not sure if I dare add this here. But if you don’t like it, track down a copy of Everything you see by Runrig. Not sure if there are still called Scottish, but this album makes me feel very homesick & pining for the glens.
If you’re still reading this, then I guess you’ll realise that this is not about winning a t-shirt (I’ve probably got the only one in Germany). It’s about life. And the sound track to the last 20 years of my life has been James Grant. So he has to get the nod for consistently challenging my listening, dragging me to new places with his lyrics, yet somehow reflecting my changing life & emotions. Thanks James. Strange Flowers. No #1
PS - If I assumed there never was a James Grant for one horrible moment - then the winner would be………
Good Deeds & Dirty Rags - Goodbye MrMackenzie. Why are they so forgotten ?
March 30th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Wow. I consider myself a bit of a scottish ‘pop’ fan but there’s still a few recommends in these replies I haven’t heard and which I must dig out. It’ll take a bit of sorting out the winners - c’mon, we’re taking this thing seriously… and we’ll be back to you as fast as we can.
Julie -the presumption was that it would be hard to think of a better album than Strange Flowers. **** star review in Uncut too - i think that was harsh
love on y’all (extra marks if you recognise that reference)
P
March 31st, 2009 at 11:03 pm
James’ latest is up there, here are some contenders in no particular order IMHO..
Bebop Moptop - Danny Wilson
Dreaming Sea - Karen Matheson
Sawdust in My Veins - James Grant
Walk Across the Rooftops - Blue Nile
Sulk - Associates
Grand Prix - Teenage Fanclub
This is the Story - Proclaimers
Mainstream - Lloyd Cole & Commotions
Phantoms & Archetypes - Paul Quinn & Independent Group
Hope & Despair - Edwyn Collins
Waking Hours - Del Amitri
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Bedazzled - Kevin McDermott Orchestra
Great Day for Gravity - King L (Gary Clark)
Distracted - Liberties
Fisherman’s Blues - Waterboys
Loss - Mull Historical Society
Saturday Night, Sunday Morning - River Detectives
Littledeath - Love & Money
White on Blond - Texas
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:10 pm
I’d say Strange Kind of Love by Love & Money, on the basis that I’ve played it consistently since ‘89. I bought if first on cassette, then again on CD many years later. It’s in my Top 10 Albums of All-time, and I’d insist on having it on my desert island.
April 3rd, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Without any doubt it’s the self titled Cado Belle LP from 1976. Saw them live loads of times, they did TV (OGWT, Rock Goes to College) then punk came along….
Still play the CD all the time, sounds just as great all these years on.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Hi Pete
Okay cokey, since you’ve put a smiley face… I’ll put my misplaced rage back in the box. Direct it at Last.fm or something. We’re not called “fans” for nothing….
J
April 4th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
lists it is then:
So Many Partings Silly Wizard
Blue Blue
Poster Sober Michael Marra
Dogs in the Traffic Love & Money
Hats Blue Nile
Exit Music Stephen Lindsay
Grace & Danger John Martyn
The Fortunate Sons The Fortunate Sons
My Thrawn Glory James Grant
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:38 pm
No doubt:
Alan McGee’s BIFF BANG POW - L’Amour, Demure, Stenhousemuir (1991)
but, if you prefer the folkish way: The McCluskey Brothers - Aware Of All (1986)
plus
Roddy Frame - Western Skies
James Grant - Sawdust In My Veins
The Painted Word - Lovelife
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:42 pm
…and I forgot…:
The best EVAH:
Andy Pawlak - Shoebox full of Secrets
April 25th, 2009 at 8:54 am
I love everything that James has done and I think he has to be the most underrated songwriter of our time. As for Strange Flowers, I think it is his best solo album to date as it covers all the bases. If you don’t have it, make sure you get it.
As for greatest Scottish album of all time I would include -
Hipsway - Hipsway
Blue Nile - Walk across the rooftops
Deacon Blue - Raintown
Del Amitri - Twisted
Love and Money - Strange Kind of Love
However, my personal best of all time has to be Love and Money - Dogs in The Traffic.
April 26th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
listen to these ones.no.1 horse ,the same sky,2 the big dish, rich mans wardrobe 3hue and cry,remote.4 roddy frame ,surf 5 jethro tull heavy horses.sit back and enjoy.
April 27th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
And this is what we Hamburgers love in Scottish music:
Showbox Full Of Secrets (Andy Pawlak)
Hipsway (Hipsway)
Rattlesnakes (Lloyd Cole & The Commotions)
Strange Kind Of Love (Love And Money)
Glasvegas (Glasvegas)
Raintown (Deacon Blue)
Grand Prix (Teenage Fanclub)
High Land, Hard Rain (Aztec Camera)
L’Amour, Demure, Stenhousemuir (Biff Bang Pow!)
Franz Ferdinand (Franz Ferdinand)
Twisted (Del Amitri)
White On Blond (Texas)
Psychocandy (The Jesus And Mary Chain)
Let’s Get Out Of This Country (Camera Obscura)
Tigermilk (Belle And Sebastian)
Hope And Despair (Edwyn Collins)
Cake (The Trash Can Sinatras)
Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (The River Detectives)
in no particular order.
May 11th, 2009 at 8:21 am
James Grant is an artist who uses music to paint the background to his vivid and imaginative lyrical canvas, his collection of solo albums are each a contender for the best Scottish album ever, i never get tired of listening to any of them.
As a writer i also admire Justin Currie and despite the differences in musical style i believe Fish once of Marillion is also a fine example of how to spin a tale (or should that be Tail?)
A top ten though well it’d be difficult but straight off the top of my head without being able to alter what first comes to mind would be;
Love & Money Dogs in the traffic
Hue & Cry Bittersuite
Gun taking on the world
Slide down so long
James Grant My thrawn glory
Del Amitri waking hours
king l great day for gravity
fish 13th star
big country the crossing
simple minds new gold dream
May 12th, 2009 at 10:05 am
My vote goes to The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit. Their gig at The Bowery (Edinburgh) last month was, quite simply, amazing.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Sheesh. Here was I thinking I was a huge JG fan, eagerly awaiting his new album, and also someone with his finger on the musical pulse. Yet, on the day of release I find out he’s now got his own website (when did that appear?) and, woe of woes, the new album’s been available for weeks!
Anyway, that was a bit off-topic, but explains why I’m late to the debate.
I think the above replies have pretty much covered all the options and I agree with many of the replies; I love all of JG’s stuff, solo and with L&M. The man inspired me to pick up the guitar many years ago at a L&M gig at the Barras (I’m still shite though). Also love King Creosote’s KC Rules OK (the original, not the re-issue with inferior version of Marguerita Red).
It’s a really tough call to pick a best/favourite, but I’m going to agree with Kirsten and go for Frightened Rabbit’s Midnight Organ Fight. Haven’t had the pleasure of seeing them live yet, but the album is absolutely superb. I reserve the right to change my mind once I’ve heard Strange Flowers, but that might be too sycophantic.
December 13th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
easy - Shores of The Forth by John Watt, Davey STuart and the Beggars Mantle Ceildhe Band