Scotland is already home to some of indie's most charming --
Belle & Sebastian,
Bis, and
Travis -- and
the Reindeer Section, a collaborative effort between various Scottish artists from bands like
Snow Patrol,
Arab Strap, and Astrid, relish in the British Isle's natural beauty while composing a steady dose of indie rock simplicity. After ten ambitious and fun-loving days spent capturing creative waves in between drink and food,
Snow Patrol's
Gary Lightbody and his musician mates delivered
Y'all Get Scared Now, Ya Hear!, an inviting swirl of lovelorn, desire, and tolerance. Select members of
Belle & Sebastian,
Mull Historical Society, and
Mogwai perfect subtle instrumentation and intricate song structures for
Lightbody's initiation of cumbersome ideas. The album as a whole, though, is a wavering soundscape of hollow emotion and broken hearts similar to lovesuckers like
Bob Mould,
Lou Barlow, and
Stephin Merritt. Building from the hushing beauty of "The Opening Taste" into the delicate vocalics of
Eva's Jenny Reeve on "Fire Bell,"
the Reindeer Section's bravado is lax and sober. Harmonies by Astrid's Willy Campbell and
Charlie Clarke on the summery "Sting" are carefree, and
Mick Cooke's (
Belle & Sebastian) trumpet churns over sliding percussion for one of the album's most animated cuts (next to the tight rollicking of "Tout Le Monde"). The Reindeer Section, however, is also a bit large while showcasing each individual artist's own contribution. Melodically and lyrically,
Y'all Get Scared Now, Ya Hear! is daring in the sense that it's not over the top and
Lightbody carries off his own creative bliss. The spontaneity captured in this project is a delightful look at the inquisitive and intelligent artists burgeoning out of Scotland's music nooks since the mid-'90s. ~ MacKenzie Wilson