DREAMS, SCHEMES AND YOUNG TEAMS | A SCOTTISH LOVE STORY

SHAMBOLICS DARREN FORBES CHATS ABOUT THE BANDS DEBUT ALBUM RELEASE

This week, one of Scotland’s most exciting and most loved indie bands SHAMBOLICS release their anticipated debut album ‘Dreams, Schemes and Young Teams’.

Having been a popular name on the local circuit for many years, Shambolics have an army of enthusiastic fans behind them, championing their relatable riotous persona and working class ethos.

What started as a means to stay out of trouble, frontman duo Daren Forbes and Lewis McDonald have turned playing to a handful of people in their local Kirkcaldy pubs to headlining sold out shows across Scotland. Since then they have secured supporting slots with legends such as Richard Ashcroft, Cast and regularly, The View. Picking up new fans everywhere they go, there’s something just pretty enthralling about these ‘wee neds’ from Fife.

Now with their debut album finally being released onto the world, we speak to Darren (Forbes) about the chaotic ride that leads them to this moment.

Dreams, Schemes and Young Teams – for people who aren’t Scottish, what does that mean?

‘So Young Teams are – well you’ll know what it is because you’re Scottish – but it’s kinda just like gangs, well no really gangs, but groups of people who used to hang about when we were younger. I used to be quite a ned when I was younger. Dreams and schemes are really just what rhymes with it. We were writing that song, ‘Dreams Schemes and Young Teams’ and we had that chorus and that hook on the outro that all rhymed together. I always thought that title was really good so when we got to the album we really didn’t have a title so we just thought fuck it and use it.“

The song itself has been a Shambolics favourite for a few years now. Released as a single back in 2021, ‘Dreams, Schemes and Young Teams‘ is one of the tracks that the band have resurrected for their album.

“We’ve remixed it for this album. It was the same guy, Chris Marshall who recorded Dream, Schemes and Young Teams the single. We thought if it’s going to be the title track on the album then lets remix it so it fits better on the album. The new version sounds amazing.” Darren (Shambolics)

Dreams, Schemes and Young Teams open with the foot tapping mountain of a track ‘Influencer‘. A generational social commentary on the artificial aesthetic we see portrayed on our screens. All in a typical Shambolics fashion with verses building on the synchronised rhythm of the vocal delivery this appealing to the comforting baseline before crashing in with a massive hook laden chorus.

The familiar sounds of singles ‘Never Be Mine’ and ‘Attention‘ follow in the albums introduction. Featuring Kyle Falconer (The View), ‘Attention‘ is the product of a long standing relationship between the two artists.

How did that collaboration come about?

“So we were kinda good mates (with Kyle), we had played with him, we had done a live stream during lockdown at the Edinburgh Caves with him and James Allan from Glasvegas for Kirkcaldy food bank. We had met him a few times before that at gigs and stuff and we had supported Kyle on his solo ventures but that was the first time we actually worked with him.“

And then you went on his first ever songwriting camp in Spain – La Sierra Casa?

“Yeah, we went to La Sierra Casa. I think it was the first camp they have ever had which has really kicked off since then as it was really just an idea at the time. But we went over last September and we just nailed it (Attention). There was a couple of tunes that we were really just messing about with but they weren’t that good. Then Attention just came out of nowhere. It’s just great working with Kyle, we’re massive fans of The View. We were proper fan boys when we were younger and we’ve become pals with them throughout the years. We get on with the rest of the lads like Webby really well too so it’s just great to work with them on an actual song too. So we knew him before the camp but better mater after it as we spent a lot of time together.”

Moving on from ‘Attention‘ is ‘Coming For You‘. An absolute ‘belter‘ of a song which – in my opinion – should have been the albums opener. Made to be blasted through big speakers, this song is colossal. It’s a track which begins with such an explosive momentum that will blow the roof of any venue they dare to play it in. Slowing it down a bit next is ‘Daily Dosage‘, a track which Shambolics admit has been on the back burner for a number of years now. “That’s one we wrote years ago and we never played it live but we always knew it was a tune. It’s quite slow so we never played it live but we just loved it.” -Darren Forbes (Shambolics)

This one feels heart-felt, a song which appears on the surface to explore the dark side of addiction whilst retaining a sense of optimism within the melody.

‘If You Want It‘ and ‘Dreams, Schemes and Young Teams‘ are both familiar songs for fans. Both quintessentially a reflection of what Shambolics are best known and loved for, they capture the bands down to earth dynamic effortlessly.

What Shambolics do so well is the catchy chorus. ‘If you want it, come ahead and get it from me’ and ‘the dreams and the schemes and all the young teams’ were written with the intention of being sang back. Characterised by their distinct east coast accents, Shambolics have a uniquely unmistakable sound which is easily identifiable. In a musical climate where emerging indie rock music quite frankly becomes indistinct to the amateur ear, it’s imperative for some of those contenders to be brave enough to be remain an original voice.

‘Universal Credit‘ is one of the best songs to have emerged from 2024 so far. Reiterating a well known narrative, Universal Credit is a relatable working class frustration.

“With Universal Credit I was on the dole – I still am, on and off – but I was on the dole at the time that we were recording the album so I was on universal credit. The dole adviser’s were like ‘you need to go on this course and you’re going to go 5 days a week, you’re going to build CV’s and stuff’ but I was like aw come on, we’ve just got a record deal and we’re recording our debut album, we’re nearly there please just let us off. But nah, nah didn’t happen and eventually we got chucked off. I was proper angry with it all. I remember going into the dole that morning and then going into the studio feeling really angry. We recorded other songs and stuff but then going back home that night we started writing that song as a piss take – as a bonus track. Then Chris just brought it to life and was like this is fucking class. It is a piss take but it’s class.”

Another recent single ‘Everything You Should Have Done‘ captures the entire essence of what Shambolics have been working towards. A reflective yet relatable piece of songwriting which accumulates their momentum so far. 2022’s provocative anthem ‘Losing Your Mind’ makes the final album cut and thank god it does. Shambolics have a talent for converting real life harsh reality of growing up in a small town and curate it into music which resonates deeply with listeners is something which should be celebrated.

The finale ‘Filth and Scum’ really showcases the songwriting talent on offer here. A really poignant piece of songwriting which grasps the feeling of desolation and loneliness. Melodically the choruses are nothing short of anthemic. The string arrangement builds grandeur momentum and relays just how intense that instigation really is. A beautiful conclusion to an incredible debut album, Shambolics retain an endearment in which they can involve within. This album is good and it’s distinctively sharp, however, we know there is more to come. Shambolics haven’t peaked. This album is a vibrant example of what they do well and why they continue to attract fans like sticky lint roller. Cementing themselves as the voice of a generation, this could well be the best album to come out of Scotland this year.

“I hope people can just relate to it. It sounds a bit cliché and a bit daft, like when people say ‘ I just want people to resonate with the lyrics’ and all that carry on, but I do hope that people resonate with some of the lyrics because it’s just kind of about everything that we’ve experienced. Growing up as being a skint bunch of lads from Fife, from Scotland, in our 20’s. I just hope people can relate to it. I hope it’s picked up and we can play bigger gigs. I hope it can be like someone favourite album, that they can listen to it and it makes their day better.“