Another review of another Scottish band eeking out a meagre existence in a city full of indie pop bands. Or maybe not. Little Eskimos show, with this album, that they have something new to offer.
The distinguishing feature here is the quality of song writing. "Start It Up" is a fine example of edgy modern indie pop. "The New City" manages to generate enough urban anger that you can't help but think of Elvis Costello. There are - somewhat awkward - stylistic diversions as well such as "Monkey Boy" and the Apples in Stereo meet the dance floor groove of "Sentry In My Heart. Probably the best song was "Mixtape" that presents a compassionate look at real people's lives in a manner not often seen since the heyday of Squeeze.
It is good to hear a band that has escaped the stylistic rut that has trapped so many Scottish bands. This album does, however, leave the impression that Little Eskimos are a band that doesn't really have a direction given the variation of styles shown here. Having said that, I'd rather have too many ideas than too few. So, whilst this is not a perfect album, it is an interesting one and one that bodes well for this band's future. The view from Stirling Castle looks good.