The Ironworks, Inverness, 26 November 2010

TWO OF THE most promising acts to have emerged from the Highlands this year, Iain Mclaughlin & The Outsiders and James Mackenzie & The Aquascene, recently joined forces to release a split-single and embark upon a co-headlining Scottish tour. Both acts have had an outstanding year in the local context, with a clean sweep of local festival appearances from goNorth to Loopallu and numerous dates in between. So it’s deeply encouraging to see these young artists teaming up, generating an unavoidable buzz across local media and maintaining the momentum moving into 2011.

James Mackenzie and Iain Mclaughlin

In keeping with the triumphant year both acts have enjoyed, a suitably ambitious venue was chosen for their home town date, and it was immediately encouraging to see such an impressive audience as the Faultline Tour visited The Ironworks in Inverness.

JM&TA’s creative development in the last twelve months has been substantial, and they now boast a remarkably coherent sound for an act that is arguably still very much in development. Furthermore, frontman James Mackenzie has grown into a charismatic and engaging presence in the live environment and matured at considerable speed as a songwriter.

In terms of this performance, they remained impressive throughout, with a skilful mix of plaintive, mellifluous acoustic reverie and soaring string-led choruses which at times sounded very promising indeed. Of particular note was closer ‘The Boat Song’ and the gorgeous ‘Telescopes’.

James Mackenzie. Image by Al 'Houdie' Donnelly

They arguably still lack that killer track or two in order to penetrate the particularly strong wider Scottish scene, especially considering they would undoubtedly be grouped with some outstanding bands embracing a similar aesthetic; nevertheless, they appear capable of bigger things, and if they can build on this rapid early drive, they are certainly a young band to keep a very close eye on in 2011.

Live, Iain Mclaughlin & The Outsiders are extremely accomplished, and as with Mackenzie, Mclaughlin has grown into an absorbing and assured performer who’s vocals consistently sounded fantastic. What The Outsiders do well is keep it simple- well-crafted material, delivered in a polished and stylish manner.

As a band,The Outsiders are emerging into a musical force with real substance, with guitarist Paul Elliot’s thorny augmentation on-point throughout, and a smart, solid rhythm section which offers a moody, pounding platform which allows for the strength of their songs to really penetrate, and during their more rampaging moments especially, they sounded utterly great.

Iain Mclaughlin. Image by Al 'Houdie' Donnelly

Again, there is better to come, but tracks like ‘Someone for Everyone’ and ‘Rapid Eye Movement’ pack real punch live and the strength of their current material brims with real potential, and if this early ambition and genuine creative quality can be built upon, then real success may well be achievable.

Over and above the quality on show tonight, there was a strong statement behind these recent adventures; the impressive musical CV both acts have built across 2010 has not been driven by talent alone, they are two young bands prepared to exercise patience, develop audience locally, embrace local opportunities, develop an awareness of the current industry climate, make connections and open conversations with wider industry, stay trend-aware, seek strong advice, take advantage of every opportunity available, develop a strong relationship with robust local management, and most importantly, they simply haven’t stopped working all year.

Okay, it may all be a little geostationary at present, but tonight’s show offered more than enough to suggest that in 2011, both acts may well reap the rewards of this year’s labours, so it will be interesting to see how they both capitalise on this momentum and which wider platforms they can penetrate across next year, but as for now, it all looks very promising indeed.

© Alexander Smith, 2010

Links

• Iain Mclaughlin & The Outsiders
• James Mackenzie & The Aquascene