Twin Atlantic’s third album, simply titled Free, is a polished effort from the Glasgow rockers. The band has been around since 2007, and in that time they’ve grown into tight outfit who know how to deliver a record of consistent quality and clarity.



Musically, they offer nothing particularly groundbreaking, other than a rather unusual amalgam of 90s pop-punk and Arcade Fire-style flourishes. Lyrically, they tend to be pretty straight-forward too, with boozy tales of love and loss married to typical alt-rock yearnings for freedom, originality, love and passion.

I suspect that for most alt-rock fans, their enjoyment of Free will be directly related to their tolerance for lead singer Sam McTrusty’s unusual vocal style. McTrusty goes all out to make the most of his thick Scottish brogue and when it works, it lends his tracks an edge that elevates them above their rather straight-forward lyrics.  But he often overdoes it and ends up sounding like an alt-rock version of The Proclaimers.

Vocal lapses aside, however, Free delivers in terms of driving guitar hooks, evocative song-writing and a refreshing lack of pretense. Twin Atlantic wear their hearts on their sleeves, and will most likely appeal to people who do the same.