‘Summer’s coming. I smelled it’. Just as Don Draper uttered those words to spark a revival (however brief), so does SNACK Bits. It’s May, we’ve had enough tantalising moments of sunshine to make us finally feel optimistic about 2025, and the music keeps on coming.
So let’s stop wasting time and get some satisfaction with this month’s SNACK Bits.
If clever pop songs are your thing, the kind that cram in a novel’s worth of lyrics while arching an eyebrow, then ‘Rubber Glove’ by Stephen McCafferty should be on your radar. It’s steeped in 90s guitar-pop references, and you’ll want a few replays just to catch all the sly nods you missed on first listen. With three singles already out this year, McCafferty’s not giving anyone much room to breathe.
Then again, maybe sultry pop is more your speed, in which case you’ll be calling April Jai a ‘Good Girl’. No, not like that, that’s the track title. With a chorus that simmers right to a boil, it’s a slow burner that sassy pop lovers will have on loop.
If the last one felt a bit too ‘young team’ for your more mature sensibilities, I Am David Laing might just be your thing. In his own words, this is ‘music for middle-aged people to make love to.’ Whether it hits that mark depends on your mood (and your company), but the We, Then Me album certainly shows signs of life.
The opener, ‘The First Time We Met’, sidles up gently before slipping into a warm swing. ‘Best Thing’ carries that momentum, though you’ll feel the hairline fractures forming, even as that woozy, bluesy vibe lulls you forward. ‘Maybe, Maybe’ turns rockier, and sadder – shot through with hope, but haunted by the quiet gnaw of loss. It’s a journey, no doubt, but the scenery’s lush, so lean back and let it take you where it will.
If you’re craving a jolt of power after that, Dundee’s Copper Lungs are more than ready to oblige with their Broken Beautiful album. We’ve covered the four-piece before – they’ve always delivered sharp, confident guitar pop built to move a crowd. Opener ‘All I’m Believing In’ kicks things off with clap-along drums and widescreen ambition.
There’s no use kidding on here: this is music made for the masses. Big sound, big hooks, and more than a few moments gunning for anthem status. Scotland’s got a knack for producing acts destined for main stages, radio slots, and festival singalongs. Copper Lungs are staking their claim.
One live act Bits can vouch for is Alannah Moar. Even with the backing tracks sitting it out, Alannah and her band stepped up, proving they’ve got the songs and the stagecraft to win over someone else’s crowd. On ‘Sandpaper’, her vocal range takes the spotlight, effortlessly blending self-doubt with a rhythm that shuffles along infectiously.
Like many of this month’s picks, it’s pop – but this time, it’s pop with raw edges and a folk heart. Less polished, more personal.
Speaking of picks, literal and figurative, the fingerpicking on Josienne Clarke’s ‘Tiny Bird’s Lament’ is as haunting as it is beguiling. There’s a sharpness beneath the surface here, tempering the natural fragility that nylon strings tend to bring. With a new album expected this autumn, said to be just as raw as this track, it’s shaping up to land perfectly for the year’s most spectral season.
There’s a quiet longing running through ‘The Spark’ by Sandy Kilpatrick – a love story told with strings, swooning moments, and a tempo that seems to float by. With a few well-earned peaks along the way, Kirkwood marks 25 years in music with a track that feels both reflective and celebratory.
From an artist marking a milestone to one taking a final bow, Maranta’s gig at the Assembly Roxy on 16th May isn’t just the launch of their debut album, it’s their farewell show. ‘Luxury’ leads the way, all squelchy synths, knowing smirks, and dance floor invitations. If they close with this track, expect a joyous pile-up of bodies and grins on the floor.
Joining them for their last curtain call are Accident Machine. We covered them just last month, and they’re back already with another irresistible blast of acid-dipped dark-electro. ‘Real Dream Scene’ oozes menace, while the mis-stepping whispers of ‘Rave On’ pull you in close, the hypnotic wail of the melodica keeping you there.
And here we are again. It’s only the end if you want it to be. See you in June.
