Chris Devotion and the Expectations -‘Amalgamation & Capital’ (Armellodie)

Armellodie – yet again – have come up with another awesome rock’n’ roll album.

Though there’s parts of this record which look back over half a century, there’s somehow a feeling that CD/EX (heh!) manage to feel constantly fresh and exciting, right across the entire album.

Kicking off with second single ‘A Modest Refusal,’ the Glasgow band tear through their debut with an impressive energy that could make the lame jump for joy (and I should probably refrain from any more gags along this line before the PC brigade and the religious nutters go berzerk). I’ve long maintained that a debut single should be like a band’s manifesto – and last January’s ‘I Need Your Touch’/’Pinhole Suit’ was most definitely that – here they take their manifesto and and write it large over the course of sixteen tracks in just thirty-six minutes.

Even at the end of a long tiring day, this album is like a much needed shot of caffeine to the senses. There’s no frills, but there’s plenty of thrills (and thankfully, nothing that sounds like The Thrills). They impressed me live a year ago – and they’ve built on the promise of their singles to deliver a debut that we need.

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Amalgamation & Capital is out now on Armellodie.