At the tail end of last year, we featured our first track from the Glaswegian indie-rockers Declan Welsh & The Decadent West, which saw the band’s switch from political punk to heartbreak homage in ‘Useless’. ‘Shiny Toys’ is one of those radio-repeat, sing-a-long songs that you’d associate with festival leading bands of yesteryear, and undoubtedly, it’s a scene that could use a little refreshment. ‘Shiny Toys’ is a song of two separate paths: the laid back verses with a stepping rhythm and Welsh’s accented whimsy versus the ruckus of a chorus, “oh, the boy with all the shiny toys,” a searing guitar line and plenty of noisy drums. Taking into mind the Declan Welsh’s socialist motivations, you begin to wonder whether ‘Shiny Toys’ is a move back to a political message this time. Perhaps, the boy with all the shiny toys could be one of many man-child leaders with unfortunate access to weapons and political ammo. Rotten at the core, indeed. - HT