The debut album from Declan Welsh and the Decadent West, Cheaply Bought, Expensively Sold, is released via Modern Sky UK. Welsh is a songwriter and poet from Glasgow who, with his band, deliver a rock style that is refreshingly original, while being instantly accessible to fans of the genre...

Cheaply Bought, Expensively Sold is pretty much a masterclass in how to produce a debut album. Everything, from the writing, to the performances, to the production, to the track running order is pretty much honed to perfection.

All 12 songs (47 min, 49 sec) are infectious, not to mention memorable, offering a cross between rock and indie music. Opener 'No Fun' has a punky rock vibe, while tracks like 'Be Mine' wouldn't feel out of place on a The Last Shadow Puppets album. The rest of the LP fits comfortably somewhere in between.

Indie fans will get a blast from what Welsh has crafted here. And while I totally loved this release, I can't shake the feeling that they're probably even more incredible live.

9

Nick Smithson