Out Of This World

By Joe Kavanagh

Like most art forms, music is at its very best when it challenges the person experiencing it.

Naturally, most of us enjoy the guilty indulgence offered by a short sharp pop song, but, more often than not, the music that truly endures carries more gravitas and imagination than your average three-minute slice of zeitgeist, connecting with us at a more substantive level than a simple snappy hook or chirpy melody.

Last year, Scottish-act, The Aliens, created such an album with their debut effort, Astronomy For Dogs; a profoundly imaginative work that was roundly celebrated as one of the most compelling albums of the year.

In contrast to the many acts that arrive and depart in a cloud of hype, The Aliens appeared to emerge from nowhere and steal the album of the year title from under the upturned noses of those acts already in the reckoning.

Their sophomore effort, released last week, seems certain to endure the same fate, as critics are already hailing it as a triumph, which builds on its predecessor as the band genuinely strive to create something that is musically important.

Like some quiet kid hanging out by the fairground punch bag, The Aliens, seem content to observe the competition throwing their best shots, before rolling up their sleeves and throwing a punch strong enough to shake every ride in the park. Mined from the very brink of madness, their success has come at a cost whose true value has yet to be determined.

The story of The Aliens could not begin without reference to the Anderson family, of Fife, Scotland.

A long standing figure on the traditional music scene, father, Billy, is also a popular Scottish radio deejay, who stands at the head of one of the most talented clans in music.

Sons Kenny and Ian, known more by their respective monikers, King Creosote and Pip Dylan, have stood at the forefront of the Scottish music scene for over a decade, heading a group of local musicians, called the Fence Collective, which, amazingly, has spawned names like KT Tunstall, James Yorkston and Dogs Die In Hot Cars.

Another brother, Gordon Anderson, also seemed set for a life in music when he came together with friends, Steve Mason, John MacLean and Robin Jones, to form a band that initially went by the name The Pigeons.

Famed for their experimentation in a group containing four legitimate songwriters, they soon had record companies beating a path to their door and after some deliberation, the band signed with dance label, Astrelwerks.

MacLean would later claim that it was Anderson's beautiful track, Dry The Rain, that "secured the deal" with the label, but as the band set about recording their first full-length album, it soon became abundantly clear that something was awry with their most promising songwriter.

Although their prodigious consumption of hallucinogens at the time may have been a factor, Anderson believes that the drugs more likely sped up a process by which he began to lose his grip on reality.

Fearing for his state of mind and aware that he was genuinely ill, Anderson quite literally walked out of the studio, had his name removed from the recording contract and made his way to a hospital in Scotland.

He would spend much of the next decade in and out of institutions, attempting to solve his desperate descent into madness. In his own words: "My illness took over, I'd just be putting some milk back in the fridge or something, and I'd feel this presence growing inside me.

"Completely evil, demonic, worse than you can imagine. At first it was in my legs, then it was climbing up my insides. I'd try and do paintings to bring out what was inside - pictures with flames coming out of me. But it just got worse.

"I felt there was something dwelling behind my soul, in the back of my head, creeping up on me. So I'd be hunched up, fearful and scared of everybody. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. I was like a zombie. It took five months for this thing to completely overtake me."

In the meantime, The Pigeons renamed themselves as The Beta Band, and went on to become one of the most critically-acclaimed British bands of the past decade, building a loyal global following with their trip-hop-inspired rock music.

Albums like The Three EPs (which contained several Anderson songs) and Hot Shots II, reinforced the act's reputation as leaders of their own eclectic sub-genre; a true band's band who cared only for their craft and not for the financial spoils, which they could have acquired if they had not put such a premium on artistic integrity.

Placed #3 on Q Magazine's list of 'Bands You Have To See Before You Die' and name-checked by John Cusack in the movie High Fidelity, the group exuded an artistic honesty that once provoked them to come out and pan their own album in the press (much to the disgust of their label).

All the while, the members remained close to Anderson, particularly MacLean, who later recalled of his visits to his stricken friend: "We'd have a laugh about the ridiculousness of the whole thing. Humor seemed to have a better effect on him than the seriousness of the nurses and the doctors, who talked to him like he was an idiot."

Drugs, counseling and even electric shock therapy had been employed in an effort to get Anderson out of his fugue-like state, with little effect, but then, shortly before the breakup of The Beta Band, he received a visit from several Christians.

More spiritual than religious, he nonetheless took onboard their advice and slowly began to pull himself out of his affliction.

Shortly afterwards, he was able to begin socializing and as The Beta Band imploded, he began working tentatively with MacLean and Jones for - despite his psychological difficulties - Anderson had continued to write songs at an almost frantic rate (he is estimated to have written in the region of 5,000 songs).

As he progressively improved, the band even signed on with EMI, who were fascinated by early demos and willing to take a chance on them, despite the fact that the Beta Band had left the label owing them significant debts.

Blending influences as diverse as Stone Roses, The Who, Beatles, Pink Floyd, hip hop, psychedelic and funk, the band made their public debut with the release of Astronomy For Dogs, which appeared in March of last year.

The abundance of imagination, confluence of ideas and sheer audacity of the album immediately stood it apart from many of its peers, who appeared positively one-dimensional in its presence.

True to their name, The Aliens, made music that you might expect to hear if extraterrestrials landed on earth, absorbed multiple genres and then created music with methods untainted by history or form.

While not an international blockbuster, the album appeared on virtually every indie critic's top ten list for the year and, more importantly, it appeared to assist Anderson in his recovery.

Under the highly protective shield offered by MacLean and Jones, he began performing on stage again, a welcome sight given the raw frenetic energy that he brings to their live shows.

Indeed, he was soon out with the band touring the States, and even engaged in a charitable trip to the Congo, in order to work with local musicians.

When it was announced earlier this year that they had begun work on their sophomore effort and the band announced a string of summer dates, it seemed that Anderson's troubles were truly in his rearview mirror.

Then the following statement appeared on their website last June: "Unfortunately while trying to complete album number two, Gordon has become increasingly unwell.

"Most of you are aware of Gordon's history, and his troubled mind, so I won't elaborate.

"We feel it's best for Gordon to cancel the four June shows and give him some time."

Thankfully, the clouds passed and Anderson and the band played several live dates over the summer and have finally released the album that should - deservedly - put them over the top in terms of recognition and respect.

The almost coyly-named, Luna, is an album that attempts to build on a legacy, demanding the attention of its listeners and refusing to offer cheap thrills or easy spoils.

It is the work of a band that is undoubtedly one of the most important in music today and with any luck it will keep Gordon Anderson, on his path to personal salvation and redemption.