New Blood: Butcher Boy

In March of this year, something beautiful crept out of Glasgow - the 23:47hrs sleeper train to London Town. Luckily, those of us without a trainspotting bent were also treated by local ensemble Butcher Boy, who released their debut album Profit In Your Poetry amidst non-existent fanfare and limited to an initial run of just 1000 copies.

Built around local cult music figure, John Blain Hunt, the band settled on their current seven-piece line-up in February of 2005 and began polishing Hunt's poetic tales into musical gems. These tales, written over a number of years, are refreshingly sincere reflections of Scottish life.

"At first I found myself embarrassed by the honesty and depth of emotion I was writing about," Hunt reveals to The Skinny in his first interview. "It has only really been in the last 18 months that I've been comfortable with the lyrics. In my mind I've reconciled the fact that people might not like the emotions I'm portraying with the fact that I've created something completely heartfelt and without irony, through pure intentions."

Indeed, much of Profit In Your Poetry references Hunt's childhood- most of which was spent in Ayrshire - and the difficulty he experienced "making sense of life." "I took to writing short stories in an attempt to clarify things in my mind and explain these dejected feelings I was having. Now looking back, these stories - now songs - make more sense and have allowed me to reflect positively on that time."

With its initial pressing shifting with some ease, and supported by a sold out show in London - which Hunt admits he was totally bemused about - Butcher Boy's debut has quite rightly been granted another run. "The reaction has been wonderful," Hunt relates, "but ultimately the greatest feeling comes from knowing that I've created this piece of work from my heart and soul that I'm totally proud of."

Although the record yields clear Smiths and Belle and Sebastian influences, Hunt is keen to stress the relative musical isolation in which the album was moulded. "I view the Butcher Boy stuff as entirely separate from all other music."

So is this a reflection on the current crop of spiky Scottish upstarts? "I have no time for all this cocksure macho music going around." The View? Fratellis? "I'm not sure I'd even recognise their songs, I just know that their presence in people's consciousness doesn't do those who are trying something a little gentler any favours. I don't get the appeal of their black and white sentiments, there doesn't seem to be much room for emotion or perspective."

In line with Hunt's low-key outlook on the album's release and promotion, there's no real tour to speak of. "We wanted to do shows that were events, something different that we could make our own." Hence their recent fundraising show at the the Royal Air Forces Association Club in Glasgow. Further one-off shows in Sheffield, Manchester and London are scheduled before the band head back into the studio around summertime. "We'll hopefully be back in September for some more shows and with more songs," he assures us.

And while many bands make throwaway promises to visit their fans' hometown, Hunt's assertion that Butcher Boy will play Edinburgh before the year is out is as close to gospel as it gets, honest.