Music review: Twin Atlantic, Academy, Glasgow

This was competent and professional hometown show from Twin Atlantic, but these days there's not much to make them stand out from the crowd, writes Paul Whitelaw

Twin Atlantic, Academy, Glasgow **

The last time I saw Twin Atlantic live was nine years ago, when they played a homecoming gig at Glasgow’s Hydro.

This time around they played the still sizeable yet considerably smaller Academy, and didn’t manage to sell it out. There were several empty seats in the balcony. I guess their appeal has become more selective.

Twin Atlantic

Purveyors of slick daytime radio pop-rock, Twin Atlantic have always suffered from a distinct lack of personality. There’s nothing to differentiate them from the countless other guitar bands who make music like this.

Okay, they sometimes get a little bit "heavy”, which means they’ve learned how to politely shrink-wrap a bunch of Led Zep and AC/DC riffs.

They manage to generate a certain amount of superficial energy in that mode – their drummer is pretty good – but no actual excitement. There’s nothing here to threaten even the most timid of horses.

That wouldn’t really matter if they achieved their main goal of writing big egalitarian anthems in the Snow Patrol/Travis/Oasis mould, but every song they write sounds like something else you’ve already heard, only not as good.

They’re never objectively bad either. These guys are far too competent and professional to ever plumb the depths of anger or hilarity-inducing awfulness. They’re merely mediocre.

I can’t imagine anyone actively disliking Twin Atlantic, but I can’t imagine anyone loving them either.

Liking? Sure, I get why people like them. They’re inoffensive, unpretentious, reliable.

They deliver what’s required of them without any fuss, like an online shop specialising in Lynx deodorant or signed photographs of Adrian Chiles.

This lukewarm water situation is clearly good enough for the band and their fans. Fine, good luck to ’em. As for the rest of us, other music is available.