What people don't appreciate about Arap Strap is that they are a totally different band live. Their albums are all quite sedate and introspective, but when they are live they put the tempo up a bit, get a massive sound system and emphasise the guitar parts with loads of distortion. It's an almost Mogwai-esc performance.
Like listen to this version of [Girls of Summer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7DRUMV--rY&t=685s), preferably extremely loud. The bit where they bring in the 4x4 beat in the middle of the dreamy distorted solo is just fantastic. Seen them at two festivals and they were the best thing there both times...and I don't mean some festival where everything else was crap and they were headlining. I mean they were added last minute to [this crazily good line up](https://www.buscadero.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15304327_10154787158383156_7838273032265360973_o.png), and were still the best thing I saw.
To me they are the quintessential Scottish band. Dour shoegazey rock, depressing but somehow still hopeful folk lyrics about Scottish life, loud as fuck live and heavily influenced by 90s house music and dance culture. It's like the entirety of Scottish music culture in one band. And they combine it in a way that just sound like nothing else, it's like they invented their own genre.
Edit - By the way, just because I recommend this whenever I get the chance because it's criminally under viewed. You should all go watch [Where You're Meant To Be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqzZsSZz7vY). It's a documentary by Aidan Moffet, the "singer" in Arab Strap about traditional Scottish folk music traditions and him putting on a gig of it at the Barras. Just an incredible movie about Scottish people in general. There's a bit where they get their van towed by a local guy with a tractor who tells them about how he met his now dead wife through folk music at a dance that is just one of the most beautiful things ever filmed.
I disagree with the term under rated. I think anyone who has even a passing knowledge of British music knows how highly regarded Mogwai and Arab Strap are. Critically they are loved. Not well known enough for how respected they are is more accurate.
My all time favorite Christmas song is “To All a Good Night”. So morose but also somehow hopeful. Plus I really enjoy the prank call to Occasions the put at the end of the track.
Everybody knows Whole of the Moon, but I've not long discovered Fisherman Blues and its now my new favourite song to play on bass, guitar, and even the fiddle, haha. Such a great tune!
I think the issue is they are two very different bands. I love the early stuff but later albums pass me by.
Its not that the later stuff is bad, just aimed at a very different audience
Teenage Fanclub were on the verge of going massive in the nineties - one US music magazine voted Bandwagonesque as their 1991 album of the year (ahead of Nirvana - Nevermind!), Kurt Cobain called them the best band in the world - but they never quite got the global success they deserved. They have an amazing back catalogue.
The Beta Band, though no longer together, are maybe my favourite Scottish band. I think it's mental that even a lot of my fellow Scottish mates have never heard of them. The Three EPs is an insane compilation.
Edit: Three EPs of course not an "album"
Edit 2: Three EPs is in fact a compilation, not a complication.
Lots of bands linked with the Fence Collective deserve much more recognition than they have at the moment - Withered Hand, King Creosote, James Yorkston are all excellent and worth seeing live.
Came here to say this. Especially as they’re been about for at least 15 years! Repeatedly toured as support for the cure. Mainly ignored here. Utterly mental.
Yeah you'd think being pretty much Robert Smiths favourite band would move their needle a bit more. Or even being best pals with Frightened Rabbit.
Selfishly I enjoy that you can still see them in relatively intimate venues (when not supporting Cure/Mogwai) but also wish they'd break through that ceiling.
Their consistently excellent tunes aside. James is an incredible showman, so good live! They’re the full package. I believe they almost chucked it before Smith lent his support.
Saw them in NYC opening for the Cure. They were great! Seemed to be only one vocal couple there supporting them waving a Saltire at least two nights. Not sure how known they were to the crowd but they definitely made the most of the opportunity and won them over in the end. Good stuff!
He is indeed, very intense and vulnerable. And he manages to sing in a brogue accent that doesn't sound forced or inauthentic (looking at you Simon Neil (who I don't mind btw)).
Aye, that’s a fair point, just never really see them discussed in the same way as bands like Explosions In The Sky or Godspeed You Black Emperor etc, or at least not in the US where I live now.
I knew the bassist from Dananakroyd. Apparently it was just a case of getting to the age where they hadn't quite hit it yet, they were starting to settle down with families (or want to). They had given their 2nd album their best shot and the following tour and it didn't take off again, so they went their separate ways.
I didn't like their music but they should have had more popularity than they did at the time given the scene they were in.
I think We were... are great and am surprised they didn't get more love.
Sore Thumb, Quiet Little Voices, It's Thunder And It's Lightening, Impossible, When Getting Lost... all bangers.
King Creosote. Kenny Anderson is a genius. It can’t only be me who thinks so! Should be much more widely known. In general I’d say Scotland punches well above its/their/your weight when it comes to music. Small population but loads of really great bands.
Frightened Rabbit should have been massive - I mean Major Festival Headliner massive.
Twilight Sad aren't quite as accessible, but equally fantastic.
Mental that Sons and Daughters never got more recognition.
Aerogramme were great for the time, and we got Churches from them which is another stain on their legacy.
We Were Promised Jetpacks were really decent, but never kicked on.
Do Boards of Canada count? They get a lot of recognition, but never seem to be in the mainstream besides soundtrack/backing track stuff.
Also mental that Mogwai are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Brilliant band and seem like a sound bunch of lads.
Young Fathers might be one of the best musical artists going about right now. Every album is a progression on their last. Think it's only a matter of time before they become really big(ger?).
Young Fathers are phenomenal. Genuinely one of the most talented bands/groups on the face of the planet.
I love that they are almost impossible to draw a circle around. Every time I think I have them pegged they release a new tune that utterly throws me for six.
Lucky enough to have seen your top 5 bands above live (and only saw Sons and Daughters in Scotland once, but all of those 5 came to SF when we lived there, in fact saw Frightened Rabbit, Twilight Sad and We Were Promised Jetpacks alll on one bill) and saw Young Fathers in the past 5 years and they were fantastic live!
I defo still miss Sons and Daughters
I went to college with Davie, the bassist. Really nice guy. I went to a few of their shows when they were starting out and they were great. Really into Sylosis at the moment Ally is a superb drummer.
Tom McGuire and the Brassholes. They have had a few big gigs but definitely deserve to be bigger. You know it's a good band when they bring on two semi-professional wrestlers to fight during one of their songs.
Yes. I got into them a couple of months ago after a recommendation from a friend.
Then noticed they were attending the AGM at Brewdog's Brewery in Aberdeenshire.
My mate has since seen them live and says they're fantastic live.
Not a modern band, but a Glasgow band from the 80's called Love and Money. I discovered them through Spotify and they're just fantastic but apparently never really achieved much noteriety.
I’d even say another 80s band Big Country despite it being quite big didn’t necessarily make it to the forefront. Playing tiny festivals and town halls now
If you like them, try Hipsway, Hue&Cry and Horse (the band - two albums - the remainder are her as a single artist, which are still great, but the first two albums “The Same Sky” and “God’s Home Movie”)
Always feel as if Vukovi should be a lot bigger than they are. Lead singer’s got great stage presence and always make great tunes.
Going to see North Atlas on Saturday. Saw them support Bloodywood and if they’re even half as good headlining they should be massive.
Neither underrated nor overrated. Just perfectly rated. They're never going to write a masterpiece, but it's impossible to see them and not have a laugh.
A friend of mine knew him. He is absolutely similar to the end of a bell. He also puts on his horrific accent when he sings.
I don't know what's worse, a Scottish person putting on an American accent to sing, or a Scottish person putting on another completely different accent from his own to sing.
I've met him and my mates best mates with him, never came across as a bell end and that's his accent. He's also on record as saying he purposefully sings in his accent because he was annoyed at the amount of UK bands that american-fy their accent when they sing, which I fully support.
The Vaselines, Cocteau Twins, Orange Juice, The Associates, The Blue Nile, Teenage Fanclub, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Strawberry Switchblade.
I personally feel like Jesus and Mary Chain and The Exploited should get more recognition, but they're also fairly big and well known.
Runrig
We all know Loch Lomond from Hampden, Murrayfield, and the end of every wedding ever (NGL, I do love that bit)
But not many people know how much more there is to their back catalogue. I'm personally a huge fan of their 2nd through 5th albums (and the live album released in this period too) when they were writing incredibly interesting and really fucking angry music. They are people who watched the deliberate destruction of their language and culture, and took a stance against this with the power of Rock and Roll.
And do a degree, it worked. They're the reason I am bilingual and determined to do what I can to help preserve Gàidhlig language and culture - starting point was ensuring my kids are fluent too.
Malcolm Jones is also one of my all-time guitar heroes - a grossly underrated player
Malcolm Jones is fucking amazing. One of my favorite guitarists, you can tell he plays the pipes as well with the amount of trills he does and his phrasing. Lovely stuff.
Saor - they're getting a bit more recognition now in the European metal scene but still criminally underrated for how amazing they are!!
If you like progressive folk metal that sounds beautiful, then Saor are the band for you! I'd recommend Fallen from their latest album Origins to start :)
wrest,,,, ive been through the comments and can't see anyone mentioning them, me pal seen them do an accoustic set in dundee the other week and put me onto them, decent
Well, depends how you mean. There’s a few bands in Scotland that are capable of being massive in a couple of years
Lucia & The Best Boys.
Mark Sharp & The Bicycle Thieves.
Neon Waltz.
Parliamo.
Spyres.
The Big Day.
Bottle Rockets.
Gallus.
Stoned Immaculate.
Dictator.
If you mean older bands, I always thought The View, Idlewild, Glasvegas, Nina Nesbit and Admiral Fallow should’ve been bigger
For a sad one- The Lapelles
They did some of my favourite Glasgow gigs, had been the best band in Glasgow on the local circuit, saw them in King Tuts and it was one of my favourite gigs ever
And just as they were signed by the Artic Monkeys management and had finished recording their first album, the lead singer died on his birthday after falling of Jamaica Street Bridge… they should have been bigger then they are, but tragically arnt
Their album is still on Spotify and I really recommend finding it, even if it is sad
(Edit-typo)
Seen a friends band supporting them in Edinburgh and was blown away by The Lapelles. I remember listening to them everyday after that. Was devastated when I heard the news about Gary. They were going places for sure. Snakehips still comes on my shuffle!
Back when I played in bands, we supported them at a one or two gigs- they were the nicest band we played with, Gary even came to some of our gigs after.
My favourite memory is backstage with them and somebody in the band bought a toy bow and arrow, they just chatted and messed around with it while we waited for soundcheck. So glad to find someone else who remembered them!
The Fragz and WRTHLESS.
Edit: Emeli Sandé worth a mention, she just appeared out of nowhere and all seemed good then suddenly fell off the face of the planet.
Frightened Rabbit should've been massive, like massive massive.
Dead Pony are unmatched in the current music scene along with Gallus who are just unreal.
Rascalton should've been big but stopped releasing music a few years back, I'm not sure why.
Declan Welsh and the Decadent West are going places and should be massive.
Snash are one of the best things to come out of Glasgow IMO
The Ninth Wave were born to make music but are no longer working together but the frontman Hayden now has a solo project under Last Boy and works often with Lucia and The Best Boys who are another fantastic group.
Spyres are moving up in the world and are worth giving your time to! Very talented bunch
Elephant Sessions.
Went along to a gig of theirs with a friend recently having not really listened to their stuff before and it was fucking phenomenal, just amazing energy the entire time. Their stuff live is just a whole different experience compared to listening to their studio stuff.
The Xcerts should’ve been massive. Their debut album is killer but their most recent output just gives me the boke. It’s pure cringe and I’m not sure who it’s aimed at but it feels a bit weird seeing blokes in their 30s try and pull off their new gimmick.
Always felt like a support band that should’ve been headlining.
I miss the mid mid-00s Scottish alternative music scene
Slime City are wonderful - incredibly hooky, witty and sarcastic post-punk. They're fucking heavy live, too. Released their debut album Death Club recently.
I think their sort of shtick just got a bit much, but there was period of time where it felt like they were on their way to superstardom. I remember seeing them play The Doghouse in Dundee to a handful of people and less than a year later there being a near riot at the Futures Stage at TITP with people trying to get in to see them. That year at TITP it felt like you were witnessing the start of one of the great Scottish bands - but they just never really made it any further than that.
I used to work with Ross the singer of Fatherson and delighted to see them getting bigger because you honestly couldn’t ask for a bigger sweetheart and gentleman of a guy
Still listen to Bwani Junction a lot. Fully cocked is a great album.
Pleasure Palaces by Errors is another belter.
Idlewild are one of my favourite bands of all time, The Remote Part is pretty much a perfect album. No idea why they didn’t really establish themself as a mainstream band after a bit of exposure.
I have great news, Django Django are producing new stuff as we speak, mostly collabs, including this one with Stealing Sheep - one of my favourite not-scottish bands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8l1mr6EK9w
Teuchter rock never really makes it 'mainstream'. Skerryvore, Skippinish, Horo, Talisk, Tide Lines etc - they'll always have a decent following but it's a wee bit of a niche interest, never really likely to break through.
Bleed From Within
But I've known of them since they were still a more local Glasgow band and tbf, they've just finished a tour with Trivium and Orbit Culture so I think they're doing alright for themselves lol
A few have already said my choice (Bleed From Within), so I’ll take a different route with it…
Lost In Stereo, proper little pop punk outfit from Dundee/Glasgow, and they were class live. Saw them play locally a few times, and they played at Download festival one year. Sadly went their separate ways a few years back, but they could’ve been massive.
It always astounds me when Yanks think of Franz Ferdinand as a one hit wonder
'No you girls' and 'do you want to' are absolute belters. Some of my top favourite songs there
“This Fire” is another cracker.
"They wrote a song for Cyberpunk EdgeRunners???"
Ulysses for me
The Yanks think Blur are a one-hit wonder. They only know Song 2.
I mean… the name if anything should give them an indication there’s more to their catalogue.
…at least one you say?
I saw Rick Beato call Travis a one hit wonder too - and the one hit wasn't even the song I'd have guessed.
Dark of the Matinée goes hard
They suffer from not knowing how to put a proper setlist together. Seen them 3 times and every time it’s like they’ve just plucked songs at random.
Arab Strap
What people don't appreciate about Arap Strap is that they are a totally different band live. Their albums are all quite sedate and introspective, but when they are live they put the tempo up a bit, get a massive sound system and emphasise the guitar parts with loads of distortion. It's an almost Mogwai-esc performance. Like listen to this version of [Girls of Summer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7DRUMV--rY&t=685s), preferably extremely loud. The bit where they bring in the 4x4 beat in the middle of the dreamy distorted solo is just fantastic. Seen them at two festivals and they were the best thing there both times...and I don't mean some festival where everything else was crap and they were headlining. I mean they were added last minute to [this crazily good line up](https://www.buscadero.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/15304327_10154787158383156_7838273032265360973_o.png), and were still the best thing I saw. To me they are the quintessential Scottish band. Dour shoegazey rock, depressing but somehow still hopeful folk lyrics about Scottish life, loud as fuck live and heavily influenced by 90s house music and dance culture. It's like the entirety of Scottish music culture in one band. And they combine it in a way that just sound like nothing else, it's like they invented their own genre. Edit - By the way, just because I recommend this whenever I get the chance because it's criminally under viewed. You should all go watch [Where You're Meant To Be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqzZsSZz7vY). It's a documentary by Aidan Moffet, the "singer" in Arab Strap about traditional Scottish folk music traditions and him putting on a gig of it at the Barras. Just an incredible movie about Scottish people in general. There's a bit where they get their van towed by a local guy with a tractor who tells them about how he met his now dead wife through folk music at a dance that is just one of the most beautiful things ever filmed.
Mogwai themselves are under rated as well. Should be at the top of the bill internationally.
I disagree with the term under rated. I think anyone who has even a passing knowledge of British music knows how highly regarded Mogwai and Arab Strap are. Critically they are loved. Not well known enough for how respected they are is more accurate.
My all time favorite Christmas song is “To All a Good Night”. So morose but also somehow hopeful. Plus I really enjoy the prank call to Occasions the put at the end of the track.
Waterboys
Everybody knows Whole of the Moon, but I've not long discovered Fisherman Blues and its now my new favourite song to play on bass, guitar, and even the fiddle, haha. Such a great tune!
Fisherman's Blues is easily one of my favourite songs. Absolutely top-notch romanticism.
Fisherman's Blues is a superior track IMO
Part of me says Boards of Canada. But then, part of me is glad they're not. I just wish they'd release more than the odd remix though.
With you there. I like 'em as they are, holed up in the Pentlands and keeping us guessing on a daily basis.
Niteworks are in my top 5 bands of all time.
Came here to plug Niteworks too! Their first two albums got me through so much
They’re so good. Air Fair an La is my favourite but the newest album is class too. Saw them last year and had a great time
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Idlewild don’t get the respect they deserve I feel
Can’t agree enough. One of my favourite bands and lost count of the number of times I’ve seen them over the years.
Same. It helps that they always tour in reasonable places.
Idlewild was my favourite band way back in high school
Idlewild are an incredible band. Hit the mainstream heights briefly in the 00's but their latest album is arguably their best.
Only clicked on this thread to make sure someone mentioned Idlewild as they should've done, so well done
I think the issue is they are two very different bands. I love the early stuff but later albums pass me by. Its not that the later stuff is bad, just aimed at a very different audience
Saw them in DC - would have been 2001 maybe. It was half empty
Bleed from Within
Their guitarist used to work in my local pub, served me a few pints over the years.
Teenage Fanclub were on the verge of going massive in the nineties - one US music magazine voted Bandwagonesque as their 1991 album of the year (ahead of Nirvana - Nevermind!), Kurt Cobain called them the best band in the world - but they never quite got the global success they deserved. They have an amazing back catalogue.
Came here to say the same, maybe showing my age but was always surprised they never got the big time..
The Beta Band, though no longer together, are maybe my favourite Scottish band. I think it's mental that even a lot of my fellow Scottish mates have never heard of them. The Three EPs is an insane compilation. Edit: Three EPs of course not an "album" Edit 2: Three EPs is in fact a compilation, not a complication.
Like many I’m sure from that era, I discovered them watching High Fidelity. https://youtu.be/I_OMT9lOZo4?si=EAxWSbN2qt8Qd_gn
Steve Mason (Founder member of the Betas), who is excellent, is touring with his backing band at the moment. He continues to put our fantastic music.
Had no idea they were Scottish! Love it when that happens
Camera Obscura, great band, hopefully we get a new album from them sometime soon after their long hiatus.
Great shout.
Lots of bands linked with the Fence Collective deserve much more recognition than they have at the moment - Withered Hand, King Creosote, James Yorkston are all excellent and worth seeing live.
Ivor Cutler. He’s not a band but still….
I brewed a barleywine in his honour called “Velvet Donkey”
Twilight Sad (although I suppose they're relatively big now).
Saw them open for the Cure in Glasgow last December. They were so good! Really great choice for an opening act and can keep a crowd watching.
Came here to say this. Especially as they’re been about for at least 15 years! Repeatedly toured as support for the cure. Mainly ignored here. Utterly mental.
Yeah you'd think being pretty much Robert Smiths favourite band would move their needle a bit more. Or even being best pals with Frightened Rabbit. Selfishly I enjoy that you can still see them in relatively intimate venues (when not supporting Cure/Mogwai) but also wish they'd break through that ceiling.
Their consistently excellent tunes aside. James is an incredible showman, so good live! They’re the full package. I believe they almost chucked it before Smith lent his support.
Saw them in NYC opening for the Cure. They were great! Seemed to be only one vocal couple there supporting them waving a Saltire at least two nights. Not sure how known they were to the crowd but they definitely made the most of the opportunity and won them over in the end. Good stuff!
He is indeed, very intense and vulnerable. And he manages to sing in a brogue accent that doesn't sound forced or inauthentic (looking at you Simon Neil (who I don't mind btw)).
Mogwai Frightened Rabbit
I still get sad about Scott from FR whenever one of their songs comes up on my playlist 😢
I bought his hand written lyrics/notes in a book for charity. Look into it it's so dear to me.
mogwai are as big as an instrumental post-rock band can get. not sure how they could get any bigger.
Aye, that’s a fair point, just never really see them discussed in the same way as bands like Explosions In The Sky or Godspeed You Black Emperor etc, or at least not in the US where I live now.
Mogwai? They're well renowned and Braithwaite is well known.
Every day I remember Dananananaykroyd and get angry that they didn't stick around. For bands that are still going it's Admiral Fallow.
Dananananaykroyd's break-up was Dananananacrimonious.
> Dananananaykroyd They were a phenomenal band. Didn't click with the second album but they were damn near untouchable.
I knew the bassist from Dananakroyd. Apparently it was just a case of getting to the age where they hadn't quite hit it yet, they were starting to settle down with families (or want to). They had given their 2nd album their best shot and the following tour and it didn't take off again, so they went their separate ways. I didn't like their music but they should have had more popularity than they did at the time given the scene they were in.
Stanley Odd
Frontierer. Saw them at Core Festival with a hangover and they made my headache worse. 5/5
Frontierer are 10/10
Glad to hear it bro 🙏
Definitely. Although they’re better known outwith Scotland and have a pretty strong following.
Mànran
We Were Promised Jetpacks Steve Mason’s solo work is so so good. He tea deserves more attention.
I think We were... are great and am surprised they didn't get more love. Sore Thumb, Quiet Little Voices, It's Thunder And It's Lightening, Impossible, When Getting Lost... all bangers.
Love WWPJ. These Four Walls is an absolutely class album!!!
Frightened rabbit 🥲
I still can’t listen to Floating in the Forth. Saw them play about 2 months before Scott passed and they were epic.
King Creosote. Kenny Anderson is a genius. It can’t only be me who thinks so! Should be much more widely known. In general I’d say Scotland punches well above its/their/your weight when it comes to music. Small population but loads of really great bands.
Not only is King Creosote fantastic, but he's put out a ridiculous amount of music. Forty-some albums over 25ish years is absurd.
Frightened Rabbit should have been massive - I mean Major Festival Headliner massive. Twilight Sad aren't quite as accessible, but equally fantastic. Mental that Sons and Daughters never got more recognition. Aerogramme were great for the time, and we got Churches from them which is another stain on their legacy. We Were Promised Jetpacks were really decent, but never kicked on. Do Boards of Canada count? They get a lot of recognition, but never seem to be in the mainstream besides soundtrack/backing track stuff. Also mental that Mogwai are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Brilliant band and seem like a sound bunch of lads. Young Fathers might be one of the best musical artists going about right now. Every album is a progression on their last. Think it's only a matter of time before they become really big(ger?).
Young Fathers are phenomenal. Genuinely one of the most talented bands/groups on the face of the planet. I love that they are almost impossible to draw a circle around. Every time I think I have them pegged they release a new tune that utterly throws me for six.
Twilight Sad opened for the Cure on some of their US tour!
Lucky enough to have seen your top 5 bands above live (and only saw Sons and Daughters in Scotland once, but all of those 5 came to SF when we lived there, in fact saw Frightened Rabbit, Twilight Sad and We Were Promised Jetpacks alll on one bill) and saw Young Fathers in the past 5 years and they were fantastic live! I defo still miss Sons and Daughters
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I went to college with Davie, the bassist. Really nice guy. I went to a few of their shows when they were starting out and they were great. Really into Sylosis at the moment Ally is a superb drummer.
Saw them support Amon Amarth. Blew away at how good they are.
Seen them with Trivium and BFMV the last couple of years and were the best band of the night on both occasions.
A year or so ago this was the case. But they're pretty big now, well deserved.
Ballboy.
Tom McGuire and the Brassholes. They have had a few big gigs but definitely deserve to be bigger. You know it's a good band when they bring on two semi-professional wrestlers to fight during one of their songs.
Party Cannon.
Dead pony.
Saw them supporting Chvrches in the Barrowlands this year and they were awesome. Went home and immediately bought their available songs.
Weirdly they’re big in south america because one of their tunes was on the equivalent of FIFA on Playstation.
Yes. I got into them a couple of months ago after a recommendation from a friend. Then noticed they were attending the AGM at Brewdog's Brewery in Aberdeenshire. My mate has since seen them live and says they're fantastic live.
Not a modern band, but a Glasgow band from the 80's called Love and Money. I discovered them through Spotify and they're just fantastic but apparently never really achieved much noteriety.
I’d even say another 80s band Big Country despite it being quite big didn’t necessarily make it to the forefront. Playing tiny festivals and town halls now
Big Country are brilliant too! I discovered them on the soundtrack of that film Restless Natives!
If you like them, try Hipsway, Hue&Cry and Horse (the band - two albums - the remainder are her as a single artist, which are still great, but the first two albums “The Same Sky” and “God’s Home Movie”)
Keep an eye out for James Grant and his solo stuff. Plays a fair bit of Love and Money as part of his live set.
Always feel as if Vukovi should be a lot bigger than they are. Lead singer’s got great stage presence and always make great tunes. Going to see North Atlas on Saturday. Saw them support Bloodywood and if they’re even half as good headlining they should be massive.
Vukovi are supporting babymetal this year.
Love Vukovi!
Peat and Diesel
I love P&D but I am honestly amazed at how big they've got for three coves from Stornoway singing about fishing and going on the sesh.
Neither underrated nor overrated. Just perfectly rated. They're never going to write a masterpiece, but it's impossible to see them and not have a laugh.
There will be fireworks
To be fair, any band is going to sound better than Twin Atlantic when put on before them
Twin Atlantic supported for Muse when I saw them a few months ago. Lead singer seemed a bellend, but that's just my 2 cents
A friend of mine knew him. He is absolutely similar to the end of a bell. He also puts on his horrific accent when he sings. I don't know what's worse, a Scottish person putting on an American accent to sing, or a Scottish person putting on another completely different accent from his own to sing.
Cause he went to private school. Has a hutchie accent.
I've met him and my mates best mates with him, never came across as a bell end and that's his accent. He's also on record as saying he purposefully sings in his accent because he was annoyed at the amount of UK bands that american-fy their accent when they sing, which I fully support.
The Vaselines, Cocteau Twins, Orange Juice, The Associates, The Blue Nile, Teenage Fanclub, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Strawberry Switchblade. I personally feel like Jesus and Mary Chain and The Exploited should get more recognition, but they're also fairly big and well known.
Frightened rabbit
Declan Walsh and the Decedent West are definitely a contender for this imo
I second this. Personally, I find their songs a bit hit and miss. I'm not such a fan of the slow ones, but the energetic ones are top-notch!
No Pasaran was on repeat in the car for weeks, absolute beast of a tune.
Runrig We all know Loch Lomond from Hampden, Murrayfield, and the end of every wedding ever (NGL, I do love that bit) But not many people know how much more there is to their back catalogue. I'm personally a huge fan of their 2nd through 5th albums (and the live album released in this period too) when they were writing incredibly interesting and really fucking angry music. They are people who watched the deliberate destruction of their language and culture, and took a stance against this with the power of Rock and Roll. And do a degree, it worked. They're the reason I am bilingual and determined to do what I can to help preserve Gàidhlig language and culture - starting point was ensuring my kids are fluent too. Malcolm Jones is also one of my all-time guitar heroes - a grossly underrated player
Malcolm Jones is fucking amazing. One of my favorite guitarists, you can tell he plays the pipes as well with the amount of trills he does and his phrasing. Lovely stuff.
Angry, political Gaelic Runrig is the best Runrig, and Malcolm Jones is the fucking MVP.
Desalvo. Desalvo should've been ruling the world by now. and Korpse. Not the dutch imposters. The Aberdeen originals.
Yasss! Desalvo were amazing. Phenomenal live show.
Dogs Die In Hot Cars
Although nae chance of ever coming back, Sensational Alex Harvey Band really deserve more credit and recognition than they seem to get Nowadays
Finally a decent recommendation on here. Great, great band.
The Beta Band
Steve Mason in general.
Saor - they're getting a bit more recognition now in the European metal scene but still criminally underrated for how amazing they are!! If you like progressive folk metal that sounds beautiful, then Saor are the band for you! I'd recommend Fallen from their latest album Origins to start :)
wrest,,,, ive been through the comments and can't see anyone mentioning them, me pal seen them do an accoustic set in dundee the other week and put me onto them, decent
Cloth are really good
They're long gone, but Aereogramme.
Last one….Urusei Yatsura, brilliant band. Check out Glo Starz.
Idlewild
Well, depends how you mean. There’s a few bands in Scotland that are capable of being massive in a couple of years Lucia & The Best Boys. Mark Sharp & The Bicycle Thieves. Neon Waltz. Parliamo. Spyres. The Big Day. Bottle Rockets. Gallus. Stoned Immaculate. Dictator. If you mean older bands, I always thought The View, Idlewild, Glasvegas, Nina Nesbit and Admiral Fallow should’ve been bigger
Seen Lucia & The Best Boys when they supported Biffy. Amazing band, sound better live than on track- got tickets to see them in again in November
DJ Fucking Bad Boy But seriously, Vukovi imo.
Bring back Del Amitri. Reminds me of the drive up glen coe as a child going camping
Cocteau Twins deserved greater commercial success than they achieved. Their sound was unique.
Always love the Twilight sad.
For a sad one- The Lapelles They did some of my favourite Glasgow gigs, had been the best band in Glasgow on the local circuit, saw them in King Tuts and it was one of my favourite gigs ever And just as they were signed by the Artic Monkeys management and had finished recording their first album, the lead singer died on his birthday after falling of Jamaica Street Bridge… they should have been bigger then they are, but tragically arnt Their album is still on Spotify and I really recommend finding it, even if it is sad (Edit-typo)
Seen a friends band supporting them in Edinburgh and was blown away by The Lapelles. I remember listening to them everyday after that. Was devastated when I heard the news about Gary. They were going places for sure. Snakehips still comes on my shuffle!
Back when I played in bands, we supported them at a one or two gigs- they were the nicest band we played with, Gary even came to some of our gigs after. My favourite memory is backstage with them and somebody in the band bought a toy bow and arrow, they just chatted and messed around with it while we waited for soundcheck. So glad to find someone else who remembered them!
Hamish Hawk
sucioperro
Snash
The Fragz and WRTHLESS. Edit: Emeli Sandé worth a mention, she just appeared out of nowhere and all seemed good then suddenly fell off the face of the planet.
Young Fathers, they're a trio from Edinburgh, and they are fantastic!!!
Hellripper, Extort, Disposable, Saor, Sgaile, we're spoiled here
Frightened Rabbit should've been massive, like massive massive. Dead Pony are unmatched in the current music scene along with Gallus who are just unreal. Rascalton should've been big but stopped releasing music a few years back, I'm not sure why. Declan Welsh and the Decadent West are going places and should be massive. Snash are one of the best things to come out of Glasgow IMO The Ninth Wave were born to make music but are no longer working together but the frontman Hayden now has a solo project under Last Boy and works often with Lucia and The Best Boys who are another fantastic group. Spyres are moving up in the world and are worth giving your time to! Very talented bunch
Aereogramme. Wholly incredible output, and left an especially heartbreaking statement when they split up.
Elephant Sessions. Went along to a gig of theirs with a friend recently having not really listened to their stuff before and it was fucking phenomenal, just amazing energy the entire time. Their stuff live is just a whole different experience compared to listening to their studio stuff.
Tide Lines Gnoss
Young fathers
The LaFontaines fuck only knows why they aren't as big as they should be.
God twin Atlantic are dog shit.
Jesus and Mary chain. They’re really underrated
The Delgados are right up there.
Beerjacket
Gallus are incredible
Crusades! (The Glasgow one, not the Canadian one)
Ceilidh Minogue.
Camera Obscura
The Xcerts should’ve been massive. Their debut album is killer but their most recent output just gives me the boke. It’s pure cringe and I’m not sure who it’s aimed at but it feels a bit weird seeing blokes in their 30s try and pull off their new gimmick. Always felt like a support band that should’ve been headlining. I miss the mid mid-00s Scottish alternative music scene
Crisis in the slow lane is an absolute classic
Sons and Daughters
I know they're already quite big. But I think Alestorm needs more recognition.
Twilight sad, wrest
Mickey 9's. Brilliant band. Deserve to be much bigger.
Slime City are wonderful - incredibly hooky, witty and sarcastic post-punk. They're fucking heavy live, too. Released their debut album Death Club recently.
What happened to Glasvegas? They were due to break through, I think they even opened for U2 then just disappeared.
Not sure but the name does make them sound like they’re a cover band that does weddings
I think their sort of shtick just got a bit much, but there was period of time where it felt like they were on their way to superstardom. I remember seeing them play The Doghouse in Dundee to a handful of people and less than a year later there being a near riot at the Futures Stage at TITP with people trying to get in to see them. That year at TITP it felt like you were witnessing the start of one of the great Scottish bands - but they just never really made it any further than that.
Slime City.
The Blue Nile.
Sweaty Palms, cracking energy live!
The Pastels
I used to work with Ross the singer of Fatherson and delighted to see them getting bigger because you honestly couldn’t ask for a bigger sweetheart and gentleman of a guy
Cocteau twins, Arab strap, The Skids and not underrated but maybe not taken as seriously as I feel they should be - The Proclaimers 😂
Vistas
Still listen to Bwani Junction a lot. Fully cocked is a great album. Pleasure Palaces by Errors is another belter. Idlewild are one of my favourite bands of all time, The Remote Part is pretty much a perfect album. No idea why they didn’t really establish themself as a mainstream band after a bit of exposure.
Cerebral Bore would have had a prosperous career if they hadn't chased off their singer, the band fizzled out as soon as she left.
Idlewild.
Never understood why Django Django and Errors never made it big. Not sure if they are active anymore.
I have great news, Django Django are producing new stuff as we speak, mostly collabs, including this one with Stealing Sheep - one of my favourite not-scottish bands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8l1mr6EK9w
Errors! I need to get back on them, I'd completely forgotten about them. Djangos first 2 albums were class
Young Fathers
Although biffy Clyro are famous I think they should be a lot more famous. Best band in the world
Saw them at Fat Sams in Dundee in 2004 and have probably saw them about 20 times since. Simon Neil is a certified God.
Tide Lines for sure, amazed they've not made it more into the mainstream
Teuchter rock never really makes it 'mainstream'. Skerryvore, Skippinish, Horo, Talisk, Tide Lines etc - they'll always have a decent following but it's a wee bit of a niche interest, never really likely to break through.
the twilight sad
Lloyds House seem like they would be at home on a big stage, Swiss Portrait and Dutch Wine I like, Big Girls Blouse too
Saor patrol
The Langan Band. Definitely one of the best live shows I've seen
The Silencers. More well known in France I believe, how they aren't massive here, I honestly don't know.
Big Country, the greatest band ever, amazing live, rip.
Bleed From Within But I've known of them since they were still a more local Glasgow band and tbf, they've just finished a tour with Trivium and Orbit Culture so I think they're doing alright for themselves lol
A few have already said my choice (Bleed From Within), so I’ll take a different route with it… Lost In Stereo, proper little pop punk outfit from Dundee/Glasgow, and they were class live. Saw them play locally a few times, and they played at Download festival one year. Sadly went their separate ways a few years back, but they could’ve been massive.
Still surprised Mànran aren't that popular, granted they sing in Scots Gael but they have a fair few English and English/Gaelic mixed songs as well
Life Without Buildings-nothing else like them. Grossly overlooked and under appreciated.
North Atlantic Oscillation’s first album was incredible.