Davy Henderson is something of a Scottish music totem. Any record fortunate enough to have his involvement tends to be interesting, inventive and entirely idiosyncratic. From his time in the rattlin’, jerky Fire Engines through the pop-focused chart attack of Win to his role in the Nectarine No. 9 and beyond, Henderson has maintained a distinctive sound and style that is recognisable from first play onwards.
He’s a bit of a drawler, is Davy. A sliding and elasticated singer with more tone than technique and more whine than refine, he’s high in pitch and not averse to stretching a vah-ah-ah-owel beyond its natural length. His vocals might fall short of inclusion in the category that yr average DAB radio listener would consider ‘Classic Vocalist’, but then, you and I are no average DAB radio listeners. It can’t just be me who thinks that, with his style, delivery and unpretentious soul at the heart of the voice, he’s far more appealing to listen to than any pitch perfect but plastic warbler. In this wee corner of the world where we celebrate the unique, the marginalised and the one-offs, Davy Henderson is a King.
The Sexual Objects – Here Come The Rubber Cops
Released in 2008, Here Come The Rubber Cops was produced, perhaps surprisingly, by the enigmatic and oh so secretive Boards Of Canada. It was released in such limited numbers (300 7″ singles) that you’ll be hard pushed to find a copy. Which is a real shame, as it’s a beauty.
Ringing in on the sort of descending major 7th chord progression that a band like Camera Obscura might use to good effect, it oozes and woozes, lo fi and Velvets-like, and packs an awful lot into its 5 and a bit minutes of skewed guitar-based alt. pop.
Asthmatic synths, hissing hi-hats, eternal hand claps, highly strung jangling yet watery 12 string guitars… such is the pure self-belief the assembled musicians have in the power of their record, we’re just short of a kitchen sink on the bingo card for the complete ‘Legit Post-Punk’ full house.
Tambourine? Tick.
A tapestry of guitars that blend rattle with roll? Tick.
Major to minor chord changes and plentiful hooky riffage? Tick.
Shouty pre-choruses and and a singer duetting with himself? Tick.
Forever teetering on the edge of falling apart? Tick.
A ‘pure sunshine’ moment when a cascade of overlapping ‘ooh-la-lala’ backing vocals arrive to ride the record out into the sunset? Tickety-tick.
There’s no denyin’ the right-on and groovy influences that have informed Here Come The Rubber Cops a (VU, obvs, Lovin’ Spoonful, Orange Juice, all those other Davy Henderson bands themselves) and the record is all the better for it. Tune in, turn on, cop out.
Plain Or Pan 