By Paul Whitelaw

Published 1st Dec 2023, 10:51 BST

Admiral Fallow, King Tut’s, Glasgow ****

Originally released in 2010, Admiral Fallow’s debut album Boots Met My Face is a fondly-regarded cult artefact. It’s just been re-released on vinyl, hence this sold-out show – the first of two held over consecutive nights – in which they played it in its entirety.

Lead singer-songwriter Louis Abbott seemed quite nervous at first, possibly because the prospect of recreating the delicate chamber-pop meets post-rock tumult of the album on stage with as much accuracy as possible is rather daunting.

He needn’t have worried. With the core quintet augmented by cello, viola, clarinet, trumpet and trombone players, they pulled it off beautifully. It was rather sweet watching Abbott and co breaking into smiles when it became clear that the experiment had worked. The crowd sang every rapturously received song right back at them. A communal ball was had by all.

Abbott, who sings affectingly in his own Scottish accent, is a fine and thoughtful songwriter. The band, which includes the gifted multi-instrumentalist Sarah Hayes, craft dynamic folk, jazz and experimental rock arrangements around his starkly introspective yet occasionally buoyant/sardonic ruminations.

The results are often thrilling – during the exultant climax of Bomb Through the Town, in which strings, woodwind and Hayes’ flute ascend amidst a barrage of guitar noise, I was moved to write “Post-rock Astral Weeks” in my notes.

Yes, I know, Boots Met My Face is a very good indie-pop album and not an uncanny masterpiece on a par with Astral Weeks, but in that particular moment I was bedazzled by the sheer freewheeling joy of Admiral Fallow in full flight. Why, even that inveterate funster Van Morrison might’ve nodded approvingly. Their music is infused with such a warm and welcoming spirit. It’s a melancholy party balm.

Music review: Admiral Fallow, King Tut’s, Glasgow