Broken Records -‘Weights and Pulleys.’ (J Sharp Records)

Nearly seven years ago, my first encounter with Broken Records was when all seven of them (as there were, then) walked on stage at Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire and I wondered how they were all going to fit. That night they were supporting the newly solo Emma Pollock – and although they were unsigned, it was clear there was something truly great about them.

Fast forward seven years. The band released two fantastic albums through 4AD, then things went rather quiet. But last year there were stirrings, followed by the release earlier this year of a new EP, Toska. And now, four years since their sophomore album, Let Me Come Home, they drop their third album.

It’s reassuring to say that they still sound like Broken Records (once memorably described as being like if Nirvana came from Belarus), they’ve continued to progress and this album has been worth the four year wait. By the end of the opening track ‘Ditty (We Weren’t Ready)’ it’s clear that whatever they’ve been up to in the meantime, they’re back and firing on all cylinders.

It always pained me that they weren’t bigger than they were. Whilst Stadia and arenas are fairly soulless places to watch live music (and to perform as well, I suspect) in my head they were a band who deserved to amass the sort of fanbase to fill those sort of places. And there’s still time for them to do that. It’s impressive to hear a band who can do epic so well and not sound pompous or smug.

Welcome back, boys.

****1/2

Weights And Pulleys is out now on J Smith Records