Cancelled: Savage Mansion
For fans of… Teenage Fanclub, Parquet Courts, Courtney Barnett
When 2020 ground to a halt, it could have been the end for Savage Mansion. The release of their critically acclaimed second album Weird Country – the swift follow up to 2019’s Revision Ballads – was overshadowed by a state of collective panic, a litany of cancelled tour dates, and plans not so much put on the backburner as thrown out the window of a van somewhere between Glasgow and Birmingham.
But instead, with the excellent Golden Mountain, Here I Come, they’ve doubled down, solidifying their reputation as one of Scotland and the UK’s most prolific emerging guitar bands, and as a hardworking collective drawing from a diverse palette of musical and literary influences.
Re-emerging as a five-piece, they’re back with a record that’s hook-laden, poignant, and cryptic. It’s indie rock that’s both an instant feast for the senses and a rich tapestry of sounds and words to pore over and savour.
Golden Mountain, Here I Come is a triumphant comeback for Savage Mansion. While the new material features the same razor-sharp songwriting, melodic intertwining guitars and close harmonies, it’s the artistic focus that elevates the band to a new level. The DIY, lo-fi ethos remains but the ambition is undimmed, the output infectious.
