Unsigned Scottish Talent on TV

Anyone who has been watching T4's Orange Unsigned show will have noticed that some exciting Scottish talent has been winning plaudits. Tommy Reilly, a 19 year-old from Glasgow, has wowed the judges with his enchanting songwriting and fellow Glaswegians Hip Parade have also impressed with their power-pop stylings.

To be honest, there's a lot about the T4 show that grates. It's a bit like an 'indie X-Factor', as it tries to spice-up proceedings with backstage happenings and dramatizes the ups and downs of each act's fortunes. The criteria the judges use to assess the acts also comes across as a tad superficial and it often seems like they place as much importance on the band's look or onstage posturing as they do on music.

That being said, I can understand why the show is produced in this way as without the 'soap opera' element a lot of casual viewers would turn off. Ratings are important, and I guess a show that airs alongside re-runs of Friends as part of a major channel's teen programming needs to pander to a wide audience.

I'd never heard of Tommy Reilly or Hip Parade before the show aired, and now these talented young musicians are getting national exposure. That's got to be a good thing. What's more, they weren't the only talented Scots on the show- Dundee folk rockers Luva Anna and Glaswegian goth-disco outfit FANGS also impressed the judges before they were voted off last week. I have to say, I admired both bands for refusing to compromise their music or style in any way for the judges approval and they both reacted to their exit with dignified nonchalance. Perhaps it was the satisfaction of knowing that while they didn't fit into the show's agenda they now have the chance to build on the national exposure it gave them.

Here's some footage from the show of young Tommy Reilley performing 'Give Me A Call'. Go on yersel wee man!