Single review: Glasvegas - Keep Me A Space
Introducting our new review features, beginning with Glasvegas' recent comeback single, Keep Me A Space...
It’s been some time since we heard new music from Glasvegas, so it was something of a surprise when their comeback single appeared with little fanfare at midnight on release day, coming as it did a grand total of 2538 days since their third album, Later…When The TV Turns To Static.
In that time there’s been a number of false starts and hints at new music over the years that have made it an at times frustrating wait for their fans – announcing they were supporting The Libertines at their comeback shows at the Barras in 2014 only to call off shortly after being a particularly disappointing moment – but good things come to those who wait and so it was with the enchanting Keep Me A Space.
If you were to cast back through the bands’ imperious back catalogue for a comparison, Keep Me A Space's closest cousin is probably S.A.D. Light from the debut album, but where that track builds towards a climax that aims for Alpha Centauri sonically as well as lyrically, Keep Me A Space draws its power from its restraint, never quite exploding into the now-trio’s (long-term drummer Jonna Lofgren left the band last year) signature wall of sound despite a few moments where you think it might. In a mere mortal's hands, attempting such a trick would more often than not result in an anti-climax; in James Allan's however, it's an magical touch that underlines his status as one of Scotland’s finest-ever songwriters.
Set against a shimmering, repeating guitar riff from cousin Rab, lyrically the song sees Allan’s distinctive, trademark croon reaching out to another cousin, Kathleen, reminiscing over their childhood friendship (“for you I shook the prize machine empty” being a particular highlight) and wondering if relationships can remain intact despite time and distance, concluding definitively that they can indeed and imploring Kathleen to, you guessed it, keep him a space.
It’s a touching, uplifting message, wrapped up in a package that’s surely a very strong contender for the best track of the year and which precious few of their peers could come close to matching - in these topsy-turvy times, we should be all be extremely grateful for the return of Glasvegas.