Yearlings Olive Grove Records ***

Scotland? Angst? Surely not. Yet over the past few years the likes of Biffy Clyro have made big waves, weaving their angular anger around melody and musical power. Now it's Pensioner's turn in the limelight, although the Dundee quartet perhaps have more in common with our own ASIWYFA than any of their countrymen. That said, Pensioner use vocals to sustain their gloomy riffs and speed-drumming, and although Ross Middlemiss shouts a lot, he also displays adept range on songs such as Status Whoa. There's plenty of stormy drama and dark waltzes here, tempered by the beautifully melodic passages on Enter Shakiraand the pacey Like, Epic!It's a respectable if uneven affair; suddenly the dichotomy of band name and album title makes sense. These are flighty songs in experienced hands.

See pensioner.bandcamp.com Download tracks: Enter Shakira; Like, Epic!