Scottish powerpop legends' long-awaited return

April 1 sees a welcome return for Scottish powerpop legends Attic Lights, whose new EP Say You Love Me, is their first release in just over four years.

Debut album Friday Night Lights was released to massive critical acclaim in late 2008 and was followed by a slew of singles that drew comparisons with everyone from The Lemonheads to The Beach Boys.

After a four-year hiatus, which saw one band member leave, a new guitarist join and the writing and recording of new album Super De Luxe (not to mention signing with hippest indie label of the moment, Elefant Records – home to fellow Scots Camera Obscura and BMX Bandits) Attic Lights are clearly hoping to take up where they left off.

New single and title track of EP, Say You Love Me is a brilliantly catchy powerpop anthem with crunching guitars and a melody Weezer would sell their soul for these days. Veering from glam rock stomp to wistful Scottish indie in the space of seconds, this is Attic Lights back doing what they do best – mixing earworm melodies with buzzing guitars and Beatles-esque harmonies to create a hybrid that suggests, if grunge had originated in the same city that birthed bands like Belle & Sebastian and Travis, then this is probably how it would have sounded.

The other three songs offer up different, but no less enjoyable, delights.

Summer's Coming Back wanders into view with a haunting, bittersweet melody that bears all the Attic Lights hallmarks (i.e. makes you crave sunnier days) whilst the yearning Breathe For Me is a droning, intense rocker that displays echoes of Springsteen and Kings Of Leon.

EP closer Barcelona is a nostalgic tale of a hazy, lost weekend in the aforementioned Spanish city that comes on like a heavier Go-Betweens and ends like Dinosaur Jnr repeatedly thumping you in the face... yet you find yourself perversely enjoying it.

Which all bodes well for the release of album Super De Luxe on May 6. If there’s any justice in the world of pop music – and let’s face it, in an industry dominated by manufactured pop acts there probably isn’t – but if there’s any justice then this band should be as big as Biffy, Franz, Belle & Sebastian or any Scottish success story of the last 15 years.

With songs this good, Attic Light are destined to lighten up summer 2013 and beyond.

Say You Love Me is released April 1, 2013 on Elefant Records.