Twin Atlantic do fun. Plain and Simple. No matter how you look at it, from their Royal Blood meets Queens of the Stone Age riffs to the sometimes slightly exaggerated Glaswegian twang of singer Sam McTrusty – the band makes you want to get off your feet and bouncing down Buchanan street like a mad hyena from the very first chords.
To quote the single from their upcoming album – GLA – the band and their fans are in for a bit of ‘No Sleep’ this year, with the release of the record on the 9 September, followed by three consecutive gigs in December.
Chatting with drummer Craig Kneale about the inspiration and writing process of the
album, life in Glasgow was emphasised as the main creative spark. “It’s the people, really, more than the architecture.”, expressed Kneale, “loads of character.” The title of the album as well is taken from the aircode of Glasgow, another cheeky tribute to the city that both raised them and served as the main creative hub during the writing process.
Creatively, Kneale describes their inspirations as a creative hopscotch, ranging from Queens of the Stone Age and Nirvana to Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar. But, above all that, it’s a tribute to the Scottish fans he labels as a “force of nature”.
Despite the unpredictable times, Kneale wouldn’t call GLA a political album, even though their previous one, Great Divide, was inspired by the Scottish independence referendum. He is, however, quick to point out the contribution from producer Jennifer Lee: “He’s amazing, mate. And we really don’t throw the word around freely. Like, the stuff that would take any other guy around three to four hours to come up with, he does in like five or ten minutes. He’s like a musical encyclopedia. Insanely
gifted.”
Kneale’s more than a drummer, though. Last year’s Autumn saw the light of his photography book Photographic Record: a memorandum of the band’s highs and lows of touring, recording and cementing their name in the ever expanding Scottish music scene. The key for a band like this to stay together and stay creative throughout the years? “Just be good mates to begin with”, says Kneale.
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Twin Atlantic released their new album, GLA, on the 9 September through Red Bull
Records. 13, 14 and 15 of December will see them play three insane gigs in a row at
the Glasgow’s very own Barrowlands.
Featured image – Craig Kneale, Photographic Record
