Friday 17th August - Glasgow Classic Grand
Mother And The Addicts
The Phantom Band
Down the Tiny Steps

Doors: 8pm Tickets: £5
myspace.com/aerialsclub

Wed 22nd August - T On The Fringe Liquid Rooms
Mother And The Addicts
Aidan Moffat & The Best Ofs
De Rosa

Doors: 7pm Tickets: £9
www.tonthefringe.com

Tuesday 28th August Manchester Roadhouse
Mother And The Addicts
+ guests

Doors: 8.00 Tickets: £5/£4adv (Over 18's)
www.ticketline.co.uk

Friday September 7th - Norwich Arts Centre
"Wombatwombat Back to School Gig"

Mother And The Addicts
Ten City Nation
F*ck Dress

Doors: 8pm Tickets: £7/£6 adv

Saturday September 8th - London Buffalo Bar
Guided Missile Night

Mother And The Addicts
We Are The Physics
Clean George IV
Ex Wives

Doors: 8.30 - 4am (!) Tickets: £6
myspace.com/guidedmissile





Time Out

Feigned eccentricity is a common trait among modern indie-popsters, so it’s a relief to meet once more with a genuine oddball such as Sam Smith (or ‘Mother’ to everyone else but his mother). On this second, far less manic long-player he sounds like a less grumpy Mark E Smith or a more self-aware Phil Oakey, leaping from ease from electro-disco to jangling falsetto pop. A fine Follow up. (4/6)


N.M.E.

As parents of the Glasgow art-pop scene M&TA don’t set a cool example, but always an amusing one. ‘Science Fiction Illustrated’ is every inch ingenious as their debut. ‘All In The Mind’ sounds like Mark E Smith turned cricket-coach and ‘Going Native’ a Persian John Lennon. Sardonic and smirkingly brilliant. (7/10)


Rocksound

There’s much celebrating around Chemikal Underground Towers as, like this organ, they’ve finally hit the hundred, and it’s brilliant to report that the label’s milestone release reaches similar heights of obtuseness and quality control as many of its illustrious predecessors. Given their all-chap line up, there’s an immediate perversity to Mother And The Addict, and it permeates this entire effort, with ‘So Tough’ being snappingly mean and ‘All In The Mind’ proceeding irascibly, while elsewhere guitar hurtle from blithe jangling to lively spangling, ‘Watch The Lines’ is underpinned by future R’n’B keyboards, and ‘The Wild’ is an epic weepie worthy of Elbow. They shoot in many different directions, do the Addicts, but they score regularly. (7/10)

For fans of The Fall, Pulp, Franz Ferdinand.


The Guardian

Like Arab Strap’s Aidan Moffat and Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos, the “Mother” of Mother and the Addicts – Sam Smith makes no bones about singing in a gorgeous, deep Scottish brogue. Science Fiction Illustrated is the Gaelic groups second full-length outing; it’s a slicker, disco-focused take on their usual brand of Dr Feelgood-style pub rock. The album opens with the fabulous All In The Mind, a twangy gothic lollop before giving nods to Gary Newman (Watch The Lines) and Bryan Ferry (Roll Me On Over). Wilfully non-commercial yet undeniably pop, the band skip through the more stylish genres of the 1970’s and 80’s, while keeping their glossy production firmly focused on the present day. (4/5)


MOJO

Fans of Franz Ferdinand and Pulp, meet your dream narcotic.

Any clueless indie combo with asymmetric haircuts and post-punk ‘references’ can hit the charts these days, which make sit inexplicable how this excellent Glasgow-based quartet, led by ‘Mother’ Sam Smith, missed out with 2005’s ‘Take The Lovers Home Tonight’. Raising their game in song writing and execution in the two years since means, surely, MATA can’t fail with this follow-up. Smith hails from Brighton, but in his lurid excavation of convoluted lovin’ scenarios is an aural and spiritual ringer for Sheffield’s Jarvis Cocker. Bridging two key post-punk influences – the rumbling synthy-plinky rockabilly of Step Forward-era Fall and Orange Juice at their most Chic-like (the jingly riffed Watch The Lines and Are Others) – Science Fiction Illustrated is top-notch post Franz indie rock, with murky sexual undertow. (4/5)


ALTERNATIVE ULSTER

There’s something about bands of a certain age or pedigree that is qualitatively different to a crowd of young whippersnappers pelting out their debut effort. While a youthful vibrancy vcan be good, it’s hard to beat a well-crafted and learned approach, where the songwriter’s maturity makes for a deeper and stronger outcome. Compare Bowie’s earlier material to that of a few years down the line – the progression is palpable and welcome.

While this is only Mother And The Addicts second record, it feels like they’ve made a similar artistic leap forward. 2004’s debut ‘Take The Lovers Home Tonight’ was a chaotic concoction of garage rock that grabbed you by the scruff and gave you a good shake, but loosened its grip by the end of the record. ‘Science Fiction Illustrated’ takes a much different approach, opting instead to charm and seduce you into submission by melding together a myriad of styles and palettes. You wont be immediately smitten, but in time you will become head over heels. It’s a tighter, slicker and more cohesive album despite the way it swings between genres like a sexual adventurer.

There is an impressive breadth of ideas spanned across the eleven tracks. Album opener ‘All In The Mind’ is a strum-a-long stomper that Ziggy himself might have penned; ‘So Tough’ is electro inflected and similar to a pre-pop Pulp. ‘Are Others’ is the sound of a refined and thoughtful dancefloor – a grown-up groover that Blondie would be proud of. It’s all great stuff and diverse enough to warrant countless repeat spins. The next time someone claims that they don’t make albums like they used to, point them in the direction of this. Reassuringly good. (4/5)


The List

Mother and the Addicts’ debut album burst, in a flurry of white funk and eyeliner, from out of nowhere in 2005 – and subsequently left more people scratching their heads than dipping into their pockets. Successfully bedded in now, the Glasgow quartet return with another hair-brained hair-raiser – one that should rightly propel them to heights merited.

Orange Juice remain a heavy influence – particularly on Sam ‘Mother’ Smith’s knowing croon and wrist-heavy guitar work. There’s an unrelentingly groovy thrust this time round, though, one that incorporates everything from retro rockabilly (‘All In the Mind’) to bug-eyed electro funk (‘Watch the Lines’). It’s the sort of record whole new dances are invented to. (4/5)