Three bits of Scottish excellence to listen to on Saint Andrew's Day

Saint Andrew's Day is celebrated globally, but perhaps nowhere else honors the day like Scotland. While it's a normal working day for many Scots, Scotland celebrates Saint Andrew's as a national holiday. Why not take the day off and listen to a bunch of excellent Scottish music?

There is far too much fantastic Scottish music to list everything here. Even coming up with the list below does a bit of a disservice to the musical artists from Scotland, but this is not an article about how great the nation's music scene is but rather some suggestions for Saint Andrew's Day. You do not have to stop listening after the three suggestions below.

In fact, I do not have Chvrches, or Mogwai, or Nazareth listed. There is also no Rod Stewart. That doesn't mean those artists are bad because, in fact, they are not. But here are three bands worth listening to.

Three great Scottish musical artists for Saint Andrew's Day

Jesus and Mary Chain

2023 marks the fortieth year of the Jesus and Mary Chain for the two brothers, Jim and William Reid, who began the band and created almost all the music. From the beginning, they challenged listeners with songs that featured a wall of sound feedback and murmured words. Still, there is something extremely cathartic about the music.

The band's music is equal parts New Wave, garage, shoegaze, and post-punk. They don't really sound like anyone else. Just place the album on the turntable and be swept away.

Belle and Sebastian

There are elements of Belle and Sebastian that resemble the Jesus and Mary Chain, though the overall sound is very different. Still, the way the vocals just sometimes float in an otherworldly way recalls JMC. But Belle and Sebastian also come up with beautiful melodies with sometimes extremely melancholy lyrics.

Belle and Sebastian also have a hint of religion in the sound. But they certainly would never be categorized as a Christian group. More so, they play with religious overtones as much as they play with the idea of more impious themes.

Big Country

A group that intentionally tunes their guitars to sound a bit more like bagpipes? What is more Scottish than that? The worst part for the band was that their first single in the United States, "In a Big Country," was so amazing that many stopped listening to the group after the single was released.

This is simply the listening public's loss, however. The band's first three albums alone are filled with vibrant and unique music. So after listening to the video above, go find their albums on your favorite streaming service and enjoy the rest of your day.

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