Assai Records Store
February 18th, 2024
It was my first visit to the new Assai Records store, Assai are a nearly decade old recording company that has its roots in Scotland. I was there for a mid afternoon promotion of a band called ‘Pet Needs’, a group who are aiming high and have a brand new album. The Record shop on Sauchiehall Street is a conclave of rock n’ pop on vinyl, but provides to all kinds of music fans, I went straight to heavy metal browsing.
It was an intimate sized space for this performance, a room with about 24 people who awaited in the late afternoon with electric enthusiasm. This was a gig to showcase the formidable talents of this fine young band, who took to their instruments and microphones creating the scene of a lively set of songs of high energy and breaking out with distinctive vocals.
This exciting gig and coming tour are on the back of this new album called ‘Intermittent Fast Living’ a trawling title for them to live up to. Released early this year the incredibly fast moving pace of digital promotion has them proving successful already inspiring a quite remarkable interest. They are potentially ready to take on great rewards by putting their music out there.
I felt an existential aspect from the music and lyrics, ‘The Optimist’ had him sing, rap and growl a little as he leaped around. Replacing electric for acoustic guitar gave the songs a dynamism of a fresh and in kind genre brought together into this rich and varied sense of encompassing a live scene making again the kings of rock.
The crowd where there to tap into this rich reprieve as faithful followers who knew the material to sing along to the textured songs crafted from these punk and rock motifs. From their various recordings it was obvious that these guys play a full game and have a sound remnant with the attitude’s of pure punk while giving rock n’ roll its due.
There was swaying interaction belting from the stage (the floor) in an act ready to gig and rile any size of audience. The contemporary take on modern living, coming from Colchester, they could express their love of music, in touring and recording that have hit the heights. A band very well suited to work and look just right, a band whose breakthroughs are shaping their imminent future before our very eyes.
Pouring just the right amount for themselves and to just the right gusto, in a new scene of opening opportunity to be taken up by talent, a scene emerging at these fronts mastering recordings and offering legendary popularity for skill that can take it. A deep well travelled genre fit to champion this modern funky, somewhat rebellious form of performing. All up to give further rise to music prominent in the hands of bands like these. About the magic of reaching deeply into the roots of their own songs, done their own way with that the spell that is that classic rock n’ roll.
Daniel Donnelly
Mumble Music 