Glasgow’s guitar band scene is nothing if not thriving, even during lockdown. Five-piece Two Tone Television have released a string of well-received singles throughout 2019 and 2020 and are enjoying ever-growing audiences at their live shows. Their latest cut – Twisted Animator – has made regular appearances in their live sets over the years but has only now been committed to tape after many different iterations.
The track is what has come to be expected of the band – jagged guitar riffs laden with tactile fuzz underpin Liam McCombie’s erratic vocals while subtle synths lend the track a more satisfying sonic depth. They’re a band who wear their influences on their sleeves – Queens Of The Stone Age’s guiding hand over the warm guitar tones is clear and McCombie’s vocal cadences and Americanized-inflections are straight out of Gerard Way’s playbook. The sound is one of familiarity; you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve heard the track before in King Tut’s or Broadcast back before live music was a forbidden pleasure.
Twisted Animator adds to Scotland’s bloated guitar-driven rock milieu without detracting from it. The band are destined for great things in 2020 and 2021 as their loyal fanbase will surely follow them wherever they go; even if that is well trodden territory.