Album review: Wolf Gang, Suego Faults

Twenty-four-year-old Max McElligot's contorted panoramic view of pop music was first formed when he was being brought up in Strathkinness, where he recalls being able to see for miles and miles.

The Who do not figure in the list of obvious musical influences, however, nor does playing in a St Andrews pipe band in his formative years – not even on the feisty The King And All Of His Men, memorable more for the Scissor Sisters-like vocal exuberance.

The New Radicals-esque Midnight Dancers sounds like Gregg Alexander has been lured out of retirement to provide the falsetto hook.

Where Are You Now lacks the directness which distinguishes the rest of these songs, but is the exception to the rule, its chorus labouring hard to get up to speed. Planets is a universally ambitious epic sweep which throws in the galactic kitchen sink – Jeff Lynne must be nodding with approval over the fade-out of bleeps and swirls.

Produced by Dave Fridmann, best known for sonically styling the Flaming Lips, this is a debut happily swaddled in glam influences, and glittery and snug in the knowledge that it carries it off.

Download this: Midnight Dancers, Dancing With The Devil

This article was first published in Scotland On Sunday, 24 July, 2011