T in the Park review: The Imagineers

By PATRICK MCPARTLIN
Published on 08/07/2012 20:02

KNOWN as ‘that band Craig Ferguson likes,’ The Imagineers hail from Glasgow, peddling an almost eerie brand of blues rock. Having been chosen to perform as Ferguson’s house band when he brought his chat show back home to Scotland, the quartet will have appeared on the programme seven times come August, a phenomenal effort for an unsigned band with part time jobs and no manager.

The Imagineers - T Break stage

Rating: ****

Songs like ‘Albert Einstein’ and ‘The Legend of John the Terror’ show just what the band are capable of, with a distinctly Scottish vocal line being challenged by more outlandish, almost Western themes. Alistair Greig’s acoustic bass rumbles beneath the melody lines, an almost sinister reminder of the band’s influences, with each member drawing on different genres for their role in the group - bluegrass, surf rock and soul to name a few.

Part of The Imagineers’ appeal is that there’s enough to keep older fans entertained whilst treading new ground at the same time. The band feels raw yet there’s a polished sheen to their music, and this potential contradiction serves the band well. It would be foolish to bet against this band becoming the new darlings of the Scottish music scene - it’s a matter of when, rather than if.