The Snuts, SWG3, Glasgow ***

The platonic ideal of a quite good and occasionally fairly interesting indie guitar band, The Snuts are one of the most solidly "three star” acts I’ve ever seen. It’s hard to imagine anyone actively disliking them.

That may sound like faint praise, because it is, but this West Lothian quartet mean no harm in the grand scheme of things. They’re open-hearted working-class lads who scratch an itch for people who miss the sound of the Arctic Monkeys before Alex Turner succumbed to his Bowie fixation.

The Snuts – a solid three-stars act angling for a fourth (PICture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Lead singer-songwriter Jack Cochrane doesn’t share Turner’s gift for witty wordplay, but he does at least come across as a sincere and politically engaged young fella with a knack for writing readymade singalong choruses.

During the first of two sold-out outdoor gigs, Cochrane often thanked the fans for their continuing support. The Snuts formed at school eight years ago. An endearing sense of local-ish boys made good permeated the occasion.

Unfortunately, Cochrane has a penchant for writing maudlin Richard Ashcroft B-side ballads. They should stick to what they’re pretty good at – punk-infused clarion calls in which Cochrane unleashes his inner Lydon. Burn the Empire, for instance, got everyone in the crowd, myself included, right behind its admirably blunt and furious message.

They also showed some uplifting anti-Tory support for asylum seekers during the encore. The fact that they bother to say anything at all about political and humanitarian issues sets them apart from any number of “it’s just all about the music, man” indie rock bores. They actually care.

Also, their collaboration with rapper Bemz during Cosmic Electronica was the set’s undoubted highlight. With more experimentation along those lines, The Snuts might gain an extra star one day. If that doesn’t encourage ’em, nothing will.

Music review: The Snuts, Galvanizer’s Yard, Glasgow