Formed from the Glasgow DIY scene, the band was initially McCrory’s solo project. Having played drums in Casual Sex (the best Scottish indie band since Franz Ferdinand, says the Guardian) and recorded a bunch of records in his home studio (most recently he’s worked with Siobhan Wilson, who was awarded 6 Music’s album of the week), Catholic Action began as a studio project – a way for McCrory to note down his personal experiences through music. Later, as things picked up, he brought in members Ryan Clark, Jamie Dubber and Andrew Macpherson, completing the band. In Memory Of gives the impression of a band who comfortably straddle these two opposing worlds, the experimental and the pop. The recording process, however, is another story – and nearly lead to the band’s early demise. The band emerged from the ashes of the record, born anew. That’s part of the reason behind the album’s name, In Memory Of and its floral, candlelit artwork. “It’s basically a death shrine, to the band,” says Chris, pointing out his communion photo among the flowers. That’s not to say the album isn’t a celebration, because parts of it are. Lead single “Propaganda”, which tells the story of a night out, rushes along on the fumes of an evening just passed. “Talk about my heart ache, my heart burn, my head ache,” he sings, travelling at a break-neck speed. And then comes the crash, the slower more reflective songs, the process of inner-exploration. The album is constructed in a way that rewards with each listen. “I like finding tracks deeper in albums, the one that won’t be talked about in the press – I wanted it to be connected to that,” explains McCrory. One example of this is the song “The Shallows”, which is centered on the town McCrory grew up in – a place called Erskine, where there’s a big bridge, an infamous suicide spot. McCrory remembers spending time by the river there, where it wouldn’t be uncommon to find washed up shoes. In Memory Of is, in McCrory’s words, “a collection of things”. There’s light-hearted adventure (“The Real World”) and ruminations over self (“Doing Well”), tales of nocturnal pursuits (“L.U.V”) and offerings of advice (“Breakfast”). Ultimately however, it’s the closing of a chapter and the birthing of another. Born from frustration and the past, the release of In Memory Of is testament to the future, the clearing of a path for Catholic Action to walk on down, intact and emboldened by the journey that brought them here. All that’s left is for them to decide what direction to head next – to the left, to the right, or straight down the middle