Some albums seem to have spiritual inspiration and some no doubt have financial inspiration. Some are simply indulgence and some are the musical equivalent of Heinz tomato soup. Some are, however, distillations of all that surrounds them and “The Things I Love Are Not At Home” is as original as it is a summation of what counts as the current Scottish sound.
There is a similarity to all the songs which, in thematic terms, must be a deliberate act of contrition for the many sins of mediocrity foisted upon on by the contemporaries of The Sons with all their revisionist crimes being poetically reassembled into the kind of fragmented, indeed fractured, songs that make little sense even within the boundaries of their own isolation. Put them all together however and the hidden sense of purpose is revealed. That sense of purpose has no need of gimmicks or theatricality and therein lies the appeal of this album.
In times past, the conspicuously trendy would have embraced The Sons with open arms and iTunes downloads yet today the unwarranted attentions of the beard scratchers in cardigans will instead no doubt be foisted upon them. With commercial viability clearly not a concern, “The Things I Love Are Not At Home” is as brave a musical statement on the virtual and dislocated nature of our existence as you are likely to get these days.
You might well categorise The Sons as modern day hippies with sadness in their hearts but they are, in fact, prophets. That is something to bear in mind as you bathe yourself in “The Things I Love Are Not At Home”. No gimmicks, no theatricality just a swim in the clear blue sea.
Available from Bandcamp.