1990s,

at somepoint last year, my uncle was talking about going to see one of his other nephew's bands play a gig. he couldn't remember their name at the time, so i wasn't that bothered. later on however, i found out from my cousin that the band my uncle was talking about was actually 1990s, and that michael mcgaughrin (the drummer) was my cousin's cousin. for a while i tried to figure out if there was an official term for a "cousin's cousin", seeing if this could be some sort of claim to fame, and realised there wasn't, he was as much a stranger to me as anyone else, but it was still pretty cool i thought.


i'd only heard a couple of their tracks at the time but i swiftly downloaded the album and liked what i heard. they have the same glasgow art school sound as franz ferdinand, the bands are actually good friends (the franz track "michael" is actually about that cousin's cousin, no lie). strangely though that was the problem, whenever i listened to their music, i couldn't get the franz ferdinand comparisons out of my head, it sounded like the 90s were trying so hard to emulate their mates but never quite getting there. the lyrics don't have the witty edge, the hooks not quite as strong. i know it's an unfair comparison but it's a logical one and one i couldn't get over. decide for yourself.

for a band that share franz' sound and do it with style check out the blood arm. and the glaswegian's themselves seem to agree, when i spotted franz frontman alex kapranos at a blood arm gig supporting we are scientists, he watched the support and left before the main act came on.

sorry for being so negative michael, stay safe.

download: 1990s - you're supposed to be my friend