Gloria Cycles are a new Brighton band, who seemingly derive about a third of their inspiration from the mods who scootered down from London on Bank Holiday weekends in the sixties, and two third from more recent generations of indie kids. Comparisons with fellow Brightonians the Kooks are certainly justifiable; and Gloria Cycles also have a singer who’s accent is from out of town, though frontman Kenny McCracken’s Glaswegian is more authentic than the faux-Scouse of the Kooks’ Luke Pritchard. On a couple of tracks bassist Jen Dalby takes on lead vocal duties. The possibility of a duet between her and McCracken seems at first something of a missed opportunity, but her soft singing might not sit so well alongside his yelps. ‘Campsite Discotheque‘ opens strongly and distinctively with quirky first track ‘Astronaut Swapshop’ leading into a fair of fine singles. It ends well too, with the gentler, more thoughtful closer ‘If I Wanted To Tell You’. But a beginning and an end don’t hang together without a middle, and it’s here that this record sags, with memorable songs being hard to come by. With this album, Gloria Cycles prove that they’re capable of writing good songs, but ‘Campsite Discotheque’ is an inconsistent debut that is let down by its more derivative moments.
Okay, so the indie collectives first track ‘Astronaut Swapshop’ must be quirky, but no artists write a song about outer space and take it seriously, excluding Bowie of course. This is punchy, peculiar full of amiable lyrics. It’s only in ‘Chancer’ where singer Kenny’s Scottish accent becomes apparent, focusing less on words but fast in rhythm to slip into a Dead 60s ska vibe. There is an air of evenness between instruments as though the whole band has had a say on the makeup of the album. ‘Chewed Up’ is included to flatter drummer Jack Hannan or please any air-drum enthusiast listening, containing dynamic beats helped out by rapid string scratching. Duties are taken further on the song ‘Bag’ where bassist Jen Dalby takes lead vocal in a piece that’s sombre and echoed, so much so it’s given violin for extra apathy, the good type mind you. It can fall from ska to pop-rock quite easily. ‘Religious’ has pleasant tin-can melody, completely off charter from previous track tempo. ‘Campsite Discotheque’ may sound like a picnic and a rave, but it’s really old-fashioned rock n roll indoors.
