Broken Chanter - Catastrophe Hits 5/5
David MacGregor is on the money with the title of his newest album. It does feel as if catastrophe is hitting from all sides just now, environmental collapse, the side into unpayable debt, the sheer downright fuckery that is Brexit and its many toxic gifts, the rise in homophobia, racism, transphobia so what the fuck can we do about it?
Well, we may take some solace in the fact that ‘Catastrophe Hits’ leans more towards hits rather than catastrophe. The second venture under the Broken Chanter name is a much more boisterous affair compared to the laid back melancholia of the previous album.
Edging closer to the bubbly indie pop of Scottish darlings Kid Canaveral but still sounding unique in itself, MacGregor has crafted an album of energetic existential dread. Always one to turn a finely crafted tune, David has not let us down, these ten songs are some of the best in his career. Upping the galic content this time around there’s two songs titled in the mother tongue, instrumental ‘Rubha Alainn’ and the gorgeous ‘Ith Lan Do Bhith’ elsewhere there is also a sneaky cameo on ‘Filaments’ from Scene Alba favourite Man of the Minch’.
Showing he still has the pop skills, the two singles ‘Dancing Skeletons’ and the utterly irresistible ‘Extinction Event Souvenir T-Shirt’ are great big bursts of wry, galloping fun with the latter containing the best lyric of the year: “Billionaire rocket men, got me rooting for the vacuum of space”. I’d be amazed if there’s a better couplet this year.
Elsewhere there’s thoughtful lessons to be learned. ‘Allow Yourself’ implores you to feel love under a racing beat and ‘A Sad Display’ suggests to “Keep moving” as it transforms itself from an intimate acoustic number into a big thumping barnstormer.
Every song on ‘Catastrophe Hits’ is clever, well crafted and effortlessly enjoyable. This is easily one of the best albums of the year, this chanter is far from broken.
buy it from the link below
https://brokenchanter.bandcamp.com/album/catastrophe-hits
