Twin Atlantic – Vivarium

Imagine that I’m speaking these next few lines aloud in the deepest, thickest, most pure Glasgow accent you’ve ever heard.  Not just a hint of Scots here and there, but the type where you need to devote ever ounce of your concentration to make out every word – otherwise it sounds like an entirely different language.  What I have just described to you is how a North American audience will likely experience listening to Glasgow alternative indie-pop group Twin Atlantic.

The group’s debut, Vivarium, has a distinctive regional flavour, making it hard to discuss the band without mentioning its Glasgow roots.  However, instrumentally the music itself sounds remarkably North American.  In fact, with a different lead vocalist, it wouldn’t sound out of place in the Pacific Northwest alternative music scene.  The third track, “You’re Turning Into John Wayne,” actually addresses coming to gripes with a globalizing American identity.  Lead vocalist Sam McTrusty sings “Everything I Own is Made in the US of A… Are You Made In The USA?”  Pointing out the global nature of American culture is the perfect way for the band to take ownership of their American sound and challenge critics who might be tempted to dismiss them as a “me too” band located a continent away from the scene.

Musically Twin Atlantic has a vocal focus, relying on McTrusty’s’s thick accent to guide their compositions rather than on distinctive melodies and hooks.  Most songs tend to feature mid-tempo rythms typical of the genre.  It gets the job done, but doesn’t provide many particularly memorable moments outside of the lyrical realm.  Occasionally Twin Atlantic broadens their scope, as seen on “What is Light? Where is Laughter?” in which they throw in a nod to classic rock with some traditionally tuned guitars.  But these moments aren’t common, and while they provide some momentary excitement, they don’t do much in terms of adding real substance.

Overall Vivarium is an enjoyable bit of Pacific Northwestern alternative with a Glasgow flare.  It’s only eight songs and thirty minutes, which is a couple songs short of a full length and a few songs too many to be an EP.  But formal classification aside, Twin Atlantic holds its own nicely – there isn’t a throw away track from start to finish.  Those in the Scottish scene will likely embrace Twin Atlantic for localizing and taking ownership of an American sound, and those in North American will likely appreciate that McTrusty’s accent simply offers something outside of the norm.  Either way, I imagine Twin Atlantic will find acceptance in a rather broad alternative audience on each side of the Atlantic.