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Rating: Del Amitri was born in Scottish soil (specifically in Glasgow) in 1982, founded by bassist-singer Justin Currie and guitarist Ian Harvie. The two, who are also the main songwriters, are today the only survivors of the original line-up, which also included Bryan Tolland on rhythm guitar and Paul Tyagi on drums.
Musically, Del Amitri has always tried to distance themselves from the typical sound of their Homeland, preferring a more "American" sound. Consequently, despite 25 years of honorable career behind them, they have never really broken through in Great Britain, where they still enjoy a good reputation. On the other hand, they have had considerable success in the U.S.A., where they generally tend not to be very lenient with artists coming from "Perfidious Albion".
The album reviewed here is a 1998 anthology, which contains two unreleased tracks: "Cry to be found", a bland pop-rock exercise, and the beautiful "Don't Come Home Too Soon", a hopeful song dedicated to the Scottish national football team, which was engaged in the French '98 World Cup at that time. The Scottish nationals also starred in the song's video, where they jovially juggled inside Glasgow airport. "Roll to Me", "Always the Last to Know", "Just Like a Man", "Stone Cold Sober", "When You Were Young", and "Some Other Sucker's Parade" are rather fast tracks, infused with the American spirit mentioned above. These songs are certainly catchy and well-played, close to John Mellencamp's style, but they are probably somewhat "flat". The most interesting tracks on the album are those where Del Amitri tries to reconnect with their Scottish origins, creating sounds close to the Celtic tradition like "Nothing Ever Happens" and "Be My Downfall". The ballad "Driving With The Brakes On" is also noteworthy.
Del Amitri is undoubtedly a band of substance, but they probably lacked the great success needed to break into the international market forcefully. What a pity.
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