On the radar: lions.chase.tigers

Published on 02/06/2009 13:47

The quiet-loud-quiet dynamic has been a staple of alternative rock since the Pixies first broke out of the college radio ghetto over twenty years ago.

That simple song structure - minimalist verse giving way to crashing chorus - has formed the blueprint for dozens of classic albums over the last two decades, from Surfer Rosa to Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.

Glasgow's lions.chase.tigers can be forgiven for not deviating wildly from the tried-and-tested formula, thanks to the sheer quality of their output. The four-piece are a humble lot but it's hard not to be impressed by their work ethic, songwriting and gutsy performances.

Guitarist Fraser Sanaghan explains: "We're quite a modest bunch of guys. Any new band that comes along promising to change people's lives and be truly different are obviously delusional. If you think of all the bands you can count as being truly original and different, it took them years to do so. We work hard and we play our hearts out when we're on stage."

The band's style strongly emphasises contrast. Delicate, thoughtful guitar and vocal arrangements gradually build to a crescendo before being washed away in a release of sound; choruses descending into a torrent of thrashing riff and guttural screams. This interplay between melody and dissonance underpins each of lions.chase.tigers' songs.

Proudly wearing their influences on their sleeves, the group draws ideas from acts like Death Cab For Cutie, Brand New and Deftones. One of their biggest inspirations, however, lies much closer to home: the sadly defunct Aereogramme. According to Sanaghan, the Glaswegian experimental rock outfit have "probably influenced the sound of the band more than anyone else."

That lions.chase.tigers should pay homage to groundbreaking local acts is hardly a surprise. The band have been playing alongside the likes of I See Shapes, Cryoverbillonaires and There Will Be Fireworks since they first took to the stage over a year and a half ago and have already established firm friendships across the Glasgow scene:

"We all seem to have the same work ethic, write good songs, play hard and we all strive to help one another too," says Sanaghan. "It would be amazing to see these bands recognised a bit further afield."

The band recently recorded a track with Idlewild bassist Gareth Russell and plan to release an EP by the end of the summer, but for now, one thing features strongly in lions.chase.tigers' immediate plans: "Lots and lots of shows," enthuses Sanaghan. "We'll be looking to play as much as possible over the summer. Any time out we have we'll be using to record another couple of tracks."

lions.chase.tigers play live at Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow on 30 May and Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh on 4 June