Wednesday 12/04/06 Embrace, Morning Runner @ Music Hall, Aberdeen

Death-metal? Street-punk? Something slightly exciting? No, Embrace are tonight supported by fellow indie bed-wetters Morning Runner, who strum a few heart-warming tunes that your 12 year old sister might like when she realises Robbie’s never gonna call. Huddersfield’s very own Oasis-Westlife hybrid Embrace are riding the crest of an MOR wave at the moment. On the back of a new number one album, they’ve been selected by those renowned musical tastemakers the F.A. to produce England’s official world cup anthem. They’d better not mention that tonight; might not go down to well.

Entering the Aberdeen music hall tonight feels closer to a political party conference than a rock concert. There’s a distinct whiff of middle-aged sensibility. The grandiose setting of a Victorian style theatre stage suits the large soundscapes of Embrace and ‘All You Good Good People’ sets the ball rolling nicely. Despite the lack of credibility, there’s something undeniably comforting about this music, like your Mam’s best Sunday roast. Among the most recent songs, Embrace seem like they are wringing out any last drops of creativity left in the band. Perennial nice guy Danny McNamara always seems to be straining to hit the notes but never quite makes it. The unquestionably piss-poor ‘Nature’s Law’ gets a worryingly enthusiastic reaction from the crowd to go with some excessive dancing. Yes dancing. To a shit ballad.

It’s easy to take the mick with Embrace. It’s also easy to feel suitably roused by the uplifting ‘Ashes’ which has the crowd up on their feet clapping away for all they’re worth. Unfortunately tonight’s is a crowd that worries about beating the traffic on the way out, and after a few sly watch glances the die-hards trickle out during one of Embrace’s finest moments, finishing number ‘The Good Will Out’.

Ballads they may play, middle-aged fans they may attract, but Embrace do it with distinction. These guys aren’t fakers, and it’s hard not to feel a sense of satisfaction that the one time cast-offs have climbed back to the top. Maybe nice guys don’t always finish last.