Gallus – Cool To Drive
Release Date: 11th April 2025
Label: Marshall Records
If good things come in small packages, then Cool To Drive, the latest offering from Glasgow 5 piece Gallus, is no exception. There’s no wasted space on this EP, it’s short, sharp, and as pointy as it gets; delivered with an urgency that could leave the listener breathless. The indie punksters were formed nearly 20 years ago, in a dimly lit, wood panelled Glaswegian pub, but this EP sounds fresh and contemporary, without being derivative of the band’s peers.
It’s easy to understand why Gallus are frequently mentioned in the same breath as Fontaines, Sports Team, or Yard Act, but Gallus bring an added dimension to the discourse. Barry Dolan’s vocal delivery is intense, almost hardcore at times, lyrics dripping with cynicism, particularly in title track and opener, ‘Cool To Drive’, a cautionary tale delivered through the caricatured voice of the boorish Brit. Similarly, ‘Perfect Health’ holds a mirror to society’s obsession with the idea that people need to improve themselves through health fads and diets, in a way that wouldn’t sound out of place if it had been spat out by IDLES’ Joe Talbot.
Complimenting Dolan’s glorious roar, is a band that sometimes offer a sense of light relief, no more so than in ‘Just Desserts’- which includes an almost Beach Boys style backing harmony, as the main vocal keeps driving the track relentlessly forward. And then, as the vocal drops out for the middle eight, the lead guitar’s soaring reverberated solo is free to fly over the rhythm section like Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Albatross’. It’s this ability to seamlessly blend these styles that allows the band to sound both furious, but also like they’re having the best time ever, making this the standout song on the release.
Having released Cool To Drive on Marshall Records last week, Gallus are touring, as well as dipping their toe into the festival scene over summer. This heavy yet whimsical, languid yet frenetic mix has meant that audiences have taken to them extremely well, and the frenetic energy of the live shows has left its mark on gig goers. It’s easy to see why; these are romps of songs, delivered at breakneck speed, but with an infectious feel good vibe.
Rating: 8/10