Northern Alliance - For The Grains Of Sand

Northern Alliance are an Edinburgh-based three-piece who, for their first proper album, penciled ten melancholic odes to parenthood and the trials of getting older, then pressed a calloused thumb against the paper and smudged it all to grey. For The Grains Of Sand is reminiscent of Yo La Tengo in design but with an overwhelmingly Scottish flavour– not just from the unaltered accents of the vocalists, but in the muffled and melancholic lo-fi sound inspired by Arab Strap, self-effacement, and cloud-covered skies. Picture yourself standing alone on a stoney beach, scarf outstretched in the breeze, fingers buried deep in pockets. In the still waters and rolling hills before you, you may see something beautiful: you may see the simple honesty that acknowledges the vulnerabilities of man, and the humble spirit which we employ in trying to overcome these frailties. On the other hand, it's far more likely that you'll just get bored and want to go home. It's cold, and the city is far more interesting. [Ally Brown]