Heart and soul looks like making Allan's band big

Since the start of the year, I've heard the hype surrounding Glasvegas a thousand times.

I've read Alan McGee banging on about the band in his blog. I looked on in bewilderment as the major record companies got involved in a bidding war for their signatures. I scratched my head when NME put them on the front cover, declaring them "the best new band in Britain." As the year went on, it got out of hand. I avoided the band like the plague.

Finally, when their debut album arrived, I gave in and gave Glasvegas a listen - and found them to be even more brilliant than advertised. Do you realise how rare that is?

The music press don't wait for a band to release their first album to start beating the drum. The hype machine begins building the minute a band plays a few decent gigs, often even sooner. Aggressive PR is an integral part of the music industry.

For the bands, it can often be too much to live up to – especially when there's not enough talent to support it. That's why for every Arctic Monkeys, there's a Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong; why the most hyped band of last year, The Twang, failed to take off in the way predicted; and why the debut album from the most hyped band of 2008, Glasvegas, will either be the record that lives up to all that's been promised, showcasing the young quartet as the most exciting Scottish band since Franz Ferdinand, or it won't.

Speaking to the Dalmar-nock band's singer James Allan this week, I couldn't help but be impressed with the guy. Without being arrogant, he has what all great artists have – that self-belief that says, 'I don't care if people like my band'. He isn't doing it for the fame; he isn't in it for the money.

It doesn't hit the shops until Monday, but what I can tell you about Glasvegas by Glasvegas is that it's aston-ishing - a record that should easily be up there in 'Best Of' polls come the year's end.

It remains to be seen if the album goes on to become the chart-topper many are predicting but, given the success of their singles, and considering the clamour for tickets to see the band whenever they play live, it doesn't take a crystal ball to know that it will do okay.

Regardless of whether they score a No 1 or not, they are already the most important British breakthrough band of this year alongside Tings Tings.

Lyrically, Allan is a special talent - a poet rather than a songwriter. Yes, you get the impression the quiffed-up man-in-black doesn't sit at home reading Balzac most nights, but his world view comes straight out of the east end Glasgow housing schemes he was raised on - songs about tough life in working-class Scotland.

Granted, he might never pen anything as clever-clever as Morrissey, but the kitchen sink realism of tear-jerking current single Daddy's Gone is every bit an achievement.

How you are my hero

How you're never here though

Remember times when you put me on your shoulders

How I wish it was forever you would hold us

Right now I'm too young to know

How in the future it will affect me when you go

You could have had it all

You, me, and mum y'know

Anything was possible...
This is real deal song-writing, full of emotional honesty that can only come from writing about what you know. All the better that he didn't need a thesaurus for it.

Allan insisted earlier in the week, "The way I see it, whether something gets in the charts or not, the most important thing is that I can get to sleep at night knowing I gave myself away to the song and the music. What I was trying to say in the music – that's more important than any hit will ever be."

He's right, of course, but that doesn't stop Glasvegas being the band of the year so far – even if they have got a dodgy moniker.