Addiction is supposed to be a bad thing. So, a vinyl addiction must be a bad thing. Surely? After all, there is no logical reason to buy your music on white vinyl when you can download it to your wonder phone to join the record of the rest of your fun filled life. Yet, this is just one more anachronism to complement the anarchy that lives and breathes in the ten tracks that comprise “Pure Concrete” by Kevin P Gilday & The Glasgow Cross.
It’s just as well that there is a lyric sheet as there is so much in the way of quotable phrases to be found in the lyrics for this album that no mortal could ever remember all of them to otherwise artificially brighten your after dinner conversation. Even more remarkable is Mr Gilday’s skilfully sly use of pop culture references like Tesco, the Coen Brothers, and hashtags to sugar coat the ears of the intelligentsia whilst successfully disguising the fact that he is skilled, yet often sentimental, social commentator.
Mind you, that should have been no surprise. Way back in the mists of time, I remember seeing a Kevin Gilday, resplendent in a beige suit and without a middle “P”, on stage berating a Glasgow audience for their failure to pay attention to his words so there is a certain joy to be had in finding out that he has retained the courage to stand tall and voice his own opinions.
It’s not just the words though. Adding synth pop edginess is Paul Hector with his musical contributions adding a sometimes minimalist and often bleak industrial background to this spiralling scripture of societal decay.
Normally, I would finish off with a pithy conclusion but Mr Gilday has me beaten fair and square on words of wisdom on the state of anarchy in the 21st century. So, I shall instead steal his words (from “The Sickest Man of Scotland”):
“Time is my only currency
“And I am only willing to spend it on myself”
Best song? “The Sickest Man of Glasgow”. Pure genius at 33rpm.
The verdict? No fault found. Buy and worship.
Available from Bandcamp and the other usual digital outlets.