Field Music knew they had made their best album yet when they were recording it – because they weren't getting bored with their new songs.

The band, comprised of brothers David and Peter Brewis, are loved by fellow musicians such as Maximo Park and the Futureheads and their new record, Plumb, might just be the album to finally take them to public attention.

It is a mix of lovely harmonies, great pop hooks and rousing indie-rock, and for Peter, it is a record that reflects the creativity in the band.

"If you are bored, you can't expect anyone else not to be bored, we are the first point of audience, the first people we are trying to impress, and if we are bored by it then perhaps it is time to go and make a solo record, or do something else," says Peter.

"We are certainly not bored at the moment because we have not played that much live recently. I think we have done more radio sessions than gigs, so it is exciting to go back on the road."

Their road trip includes a show at Stereo on Saturday night.

Peter was speaking just before a gig at the Next Big Thing series of shows, which aimed to highlight acts who will be bursting into the big time in 2012.

That is a strange position for Field Music, given that they have been on the go since 2004 and have reeled off four albums in that time frame.

To suddenly be listed as an act who might crack the charts is unusual, admits Peter.

"I think it is testament to our unpopularity over the past several years," he says, wryly.

"I am quite proud of it, really. We are four albums in, have done two solo albums, we are getting on and people still have not heard of us.

"That's great because we still have things to do, so we can't take our feet off the accelerator."

Admittedly, decisions like making 2010's third album, Field Music (Measure) a 75-minute double record did not help their mainstream hopes.

For Plumb, the Sunderland band decided to reverse direction, resulting in a tighter collection of songs that are only just over the half hour mark.

"We had a new studio, and we had more time to mess about, have fun and refine and construct things," explains Peter, who was also the Futureheads original drummer.

"I think we have made a very concentrated record, letting the music and the lyrics form things, as opposed to trying to stretch things out into conventional pop songs.

"We wanted to do something that was in opposition to the previous record, which was long, too long some people might say, and that really worked as an album that could be listened to all the way through and flowed as a whole."

But don't dismiss the band as being indie darlings because Peter admits there is a love of mainstream pop going on with them, which explains the dynamic choruses or melodies they frequently slip in.

Peter's own favourite records feature some of pop's biggest tunes.

"Most of my favourites are all mainstream stuff or are on the boundary of being mainstream and being really exciting, like Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush or BAD by Michael Jackson," he explains.

"I totally love that record. I don't know whether Dave and I would be cut out for mainstream success, we hijack ourselves by doing daft stuff!"

Whether they will be daft antics on Saturday remains to be seen, but Peter certainly has a fondness for Glasgow.

"We always love playing in Glasgow, the audiences are always great," he says.

"We have never played Stereo. I think the last two times we were in Glasgow we were at the Captain's Rest and we supported Maximo Park at the Barrowland, which was crazy.

"And I played at Oran Mor with The Week That Was [his side-project].

"Barry [Hyde] from the Futureheads used to live around Byres Road, so I used to visit him a bit, and we would hang around there, just boozing and eating food, really. It's a great city."

The band have also earned plaudits for being able to function independently.

Many in the industry point to them as an example for how bands can survive and thrive without support from major labels.

Yet just because they are not on a major deal does not mean the group have a relaxing time.

"There is always some pressure – we want to make a living from it, really, so that is the pressure on us," says Peter.

"But there are other pressures. I want people to like what we do and I want them to get it. I know some people won't like it, but I don't believe in being mysterious – I want people to understand why we do this."

l Field Music, Stereo, Saturday, £8.50, 8pm.