AC Acoustics - Understanding Music

by Tony Gaughan

published: 29 / 7 / 2010

Tony Gaughan looks at Glaswegian indie rock band AC Acoustics' inconsistent, but sometimes rewarding 2000 third album, 'Understanding Music', which has been just been reissued

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This 2000 re-issue by Fire Records at first seems a bit of a strange one. A four piece from Glasgow who never quite got there, despite some fairly hefty critical acclaim re-issuing an album of ten years ago which promised much, but did not fully deliver the goods before the band fizzled out three years later. There is no sign of any reformation or tour support either. Fire Records, however, say about it on the sleeve that "Some records are of a time. Some are timeless,then there are a few that just can't be bothered and aspire to greatness,clawing at eternal glory dragging us into the light -this is one of those records." It is repackaged with some notable extra tracks such as 'Like Ribbons' and 'Lemon'. There are a few great tunes on the original album too, such as 'Crush' which features Placebo's Brian Molko on vocals and 'She Kills for Kicks'. There are, however, also some that drone on and are unfortunately hardly worth the effort. Released as part of the Fire Records 'Embers' reissue series and joining Spacemen 3, Teenage Fanclub, the Television Personalities and the Adverts, it is, however, definitely worth an airing. While at its worst it is reminiscent of Snow Patrol, at it best it has the timeless sound of the Jesus and Mary Chain and Pavement.