The Cribs / The Thermals @ ABC, 4 Feb

While singer Hutch Harris occasionally flirts with Brian Molko-whininess, tonight The Thermals confidently steer themselves from the precipice of annoyingness and into the Valley of Awesome Pop (which I believe is where all Portland bands go to find their muse). Every song fires hook after hook with immediacy and accuracy, combining Apples in Stereo’s sun-kissed college-rock with a grin-inducing chorus and the kind of crunchy guitars that have been du jour since the gold soundz of Malkmus and co. They stir emotions in the way all great guitar-rock does, and songs like No Culture Icons would sound equally perfect whether played in a sweaty basement club night or on the sort of idealised road trips that exist only in romantic minds and American teen dramas.

Not that it really matters to the dedicated, rowdy bunch that have sold out The Cribs’ return to Glasgow. “Why are we on tour again? I have no idea…” jokes a Jarman midway through an exhilarating set that only lets up when they debut the makings of album number four. There’s no real change of direction, but that’s probably for the best. A knack for effortlessly pleasing their bovine public has seen the Cribs get quietly huge - Men’s Needs get a deservedly rapturous response, while they still belt out Mirror Kissers with a righteous snarl - and by continuing to play to their strengths they confirm they’re not about to botch things up now. Business as usual is rarely so exciting. [Chris Buckle]