Album Review: Tide Lines - 'Glasgow Love Story'
A love letter to the city they now call home, ‘Glasgow Love Story’ is the stunning new album from Scotland’s Tide Lines.
Tide Lines have always been storytellers and their new album, ‘Glasgow Love Story’ is a masterclass in that and more. Originally from the Highlands, this four piece have made a na..me for themselves as one of Scotland’s leading folk-rock groups. Celebrating their ten years of releasing music together, this album is a heartfelt tribute to the city that they have grown to love and call home. Their passion, both for Scotland and for music, is palpable on the album. They have always adopted a hands-on approach to their work; opting to record, press and release their records by themselves. This DIY mindset cements each piece as a real labour of love, perhaps none more so than this, their fourth album.
The album opens with ‘Better Days’, a wonderfully upbeat track that oozes optimism in the face of an uncertain future. Poppy, energetic but with a degree of restraint, it’s an indication of the fun that is going to happen over the next 12 songs. Special credit has to be given to Ross Wilson on keys whose interludes inject a real sense of joy into things. It’s followed by ‘Homeward Bound’ and the eponymous ‘Glasgow Love Story’ where the band’s folk influences really come to the fore, particularly through the guitar melodies played by Robert Robertson and Alasdair Turner. Something I have always loved about Tide Lines is the way their accents shine through on the vocals. For lead singer Robertson, it's special to see how his tone has gained a more Glaswegian sound over the years and is a wonderful testament to the inspirations they have gained from being in the city for so long.
The album gives itself roots in its use of geographical landmarks, often coming across as a highlights reel of the best Glasgow has to offer. Aside from the references that are peppered throughout, the most clear nod to the city is the final track, ‘Ashton Lane’. For those unfamiliar, Ashton Lane is a quaint cobbled back-street in Glasgow’s West End. Over the years, it has been noted for its bars and restaurants but holds importance due to its connection to the bigger and better known Byers Road; the artery that keeps the pulse of the West End beating steadily. For Tide Lines, it acts as a site for reflection - the things they have achieved, the people they have met, the years that have passed.
‘And we hardly felt the rain as we walked down Ashton Lane. I told you this would never last, cause good times come and go so fast and I can’t say for sure they’ll come again - cause we were younger when we walked down Ashton Lane.’
It’s unclear as to whether the context of this exchange is between the bandmates or taken out of a romantic setting but the sentiment it brings is one you could recognise regardless of the kind of relationship it has come from. The themes of reflection and nostalgia work really well with what essentially is twist on the ‘homecoming album’ and is testament to all the incredible things they have done together.
There’s a really momentous quality to a lot of the instrumentation on the record that instil into the album a sense of pride and importance. Tide Lines throughout their career have been incredibly vocal about their love for their Scottish roots and the artists that paved the way for them and as a result this album really feels like a celebration of everything it means to make music here. ‘If I Had Time’ and ‘The Hardest Miles’ are two tracks where this pride is most clear, the latter of which including a bagpipe section lifted right out of that one scene in Braveheart. As well as channeling what it feels like to be Scottish, there’s moments on the album that capture what it sounds like here: from the chirping birds on ‘The Mountains We Climb’ to the saxophonist on ‘Lonely and the Free’ who would not be out of place amongst the buskers of Buchanan Street.
As part of this album release, Tide Lines have announced ‘The Glasgow Love Story Series’, a collection of small shows travelling the lengths of the country. The already sold out shows will see them play in iconic and beautiful venues like Glasgow’s Oran Mor, The Caves in Edinburgh and An Seòmar in Inverness. They’re also embarking on a huge tour later this year which will see them take on a multitude of stages from the Belladrum Tartan Heart’s festival to London’s O2 Shepherd Bush Empire.
Words by Kirsty-Ann Thomson
