Glaswegian music has been stuck in thrall to Belle and Sebastian on one hand and lairy laddishness á la a hundred Oasis re-hashes for so long that the first surprising thing about this album was the city in which it was conceived. This delicately observed debut pulses with ethereal beauty, never confusing quiet for emotion nor chasing tears with gimmicks. Indeed, the intensity generated through its sheer honesty engenders in the listener a strong feeling of engagement - these are songs you will connect with and develop relationships. With balanced soundscapes and a keen sense of detachment, the band manage to startle with moments of tranquility and a sparse dignity which is truly ennervating. A less spiky Joy Division, a more elegiac American Music Club, a softer Interpol - big names, but they stand the comparision. An album whose richness you will savour and a band who you can't help feel are devloping to something truly intriguing. Check it out.

This is a fantastic debut album from Glaswegian band Fram. Think icy, ethereal music bristling with haunting vocals and spiky guitar flourishes. Neat songwriting, difficult to pigeonhole, but somewhere between Joy Division's austere soundscapes and MBV's quieter moments. Buy this album, you wont regret it. Depth and profundity abound.