The Dykeenies - Sounds Of The City

In the Great Pop Manual, rule one is to get a memorable name. So, erm, what on earth is a Dykeenie? Whatever you may be thinking, stop right there - actually taken from the 80s fantasy film ‘Willow’. Glad we cleared that one up… Bizarre name aside, The Dykeenies are a sweetly sensitive Glaswegian fourpiece with the kind of epic sounding tunes that soar ever skywards and take you right up there with them. If you’re thinking that from this description they sound more than a little like Glasvegas, you’d be spot on. From the heavy reliance on lush strings, minimal but effective drumming and lead singer Brian Fire’s dominant Glaswegian tones coming through, those other Glaswegian indie rockers are immediately brought to mind.

‘Sounds Of The City’ builds rapidly to a joyful anthemic pogo-friendly blow out – just the kind of thing to bounce up and down to at your nearest indie disco. Liking The Dykeenies is all dependant on whether or not you reckon you need another shy, unassuming band with stars in their eyes on your MP3 player when Glasvegas are currently doing the same sort of thing with a little more punch and attitude. On balance, you do, cos even if The Dykeenies won’t win any prizes for being jaw-droppingly original, they are sincere without being pretentious, epic without being dull and writers of effortlessly soaring, heartfelt pop moments – and who couldn’t find room in their lives for a band like that?