De Rosa @ Rubix, The GRV, 2 Oct

Despite their gruff beards, burly physiques and trucker hats, Woodenbox (***) clearly know a good-time country pop tune when it rears its toothy face. A relatively meek looking saxophonist stage-left initially seems gimmicky but when forthcoming single Twisted Mile erupts into a double time hoedown, it seems Ali Downer and co know only too well what they’re doing.

Kid Canaveral (***) prefer to dabble in some straight up indie pop-pomp and are all the better for it. Criminally bouncy bass riffs, coupled with some forehead-slapping, simple chant-fuelled choruses ensure they quickly leave there mark on tonight’s throng. Despite singer David MacGregor being at pains to ensure us that Teenage Fanclub Song is “not as derivative as it sounds,” the fey-pop of the Bellshill Boys looms large throughout. No bad thing and certainly nothing to get defensive about.

For a band who take pride in being called “tortuously slow”, Eagleowl (****) stick out amongst such pop frivolities. In fact, a polite cough or a jangle of loose change at the bar could threaten to dislodge the hypnotic performance of the Edinburgh trio. Since we last caught up with them they’ve swapped the ukulele for an ornate accordian, but have traded in none of their appeal. Know By Now is a mesmerizing highlight among highlights but sadly there’s no Motherfucker for a rousing encore this time around.

A 12 o’clock start on a school night combined with many punters here only to see their mate’s band means a dwindling crowd for De Rosa (*****). It’s their loss then as the newly-expanded quintet give a fantastic performance, all the more surprising in that most of the material is new to these ears. Evelyn starts the ride with some familiarity and The Engineer also slips nicely into proceedings. However, it’s a new song about ‘feeling the jitters’, with a dirty big spaghetti western riff, that first makes De Rosa’s point; they’re not the same band they were. Later, a seemingly out of place disco stomper, possibly called Daylight judging from the chorus, hammers the message home completely. On this evidence De Rosa could teach Bloc Party a thing or two about getting indie kids to dance rather than pout. A complete lack of commercial success will probably ensure they never get the chance, but for those listening in, De Rosa could be worth a dozen of Glasvegas. [Darren Carle]