Customer Reviews

Red

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

UK band The Guillemots won me over completely with their brilliant Mercury Prize nominated pseudo-Jazz Cinematic Rock debut "Through the windowpane" released in 2006. They return on their sophomore, "Red" with a harder, more electro sound with some R&B thrown in just for the fun of it.

Unfortunately, lead off single "Get over it", and opening cut "Kriss kross", both stomping glam-rock songs, while not bad are not quite as melodic as songs from their debut. Fortunately, the R&B-ish "Big dog" (with heavy synths) is very good.

"Red" is more upbeat than their debut with the fuzzy stomping "Last kiss" and the brilliant Disco-inflected "Cockateels" (with lush and dreamy sound effects) keeping the tempo raised. "Clarion" starts off as a gentle finger snapping ditty, with a buzzing riff and stomping beats coming in miidway, while the lovely "Standing on the last star" finds Fyfe Dangerfield singing in a high pitch in parts and singing kooky lyrics like "Somebody left the taps on in the sky" (lovely dreamy harmonies).

Then we get their epic ballads; the acoustic "Falling out of reach" (with Gospel-style backing vocals), the harmonica/piano laced, Jazzy "Words", the superb "Don't look down" (with droning synths, lovely keyboard flourishes, dreamy harmonies, and a surprisingly crashing choir-like bridge after which it takes on a sort of drum & bass rhythm), and the lush "Take me home" (with skeletal beats, sombre organs/strings, and some wailing by Dangerfield) closing the album.

While there isn't another "Trains to Brazil" or (my favourite) "Sao Paolo" here, Guillemots still manage to produce beautiful songs, unlike much of what is out there at the moment.

OH MY GOSH!!!! I stumbled upon this group on U-Tube with the GET OVER IT video. I liked the song so much that I immediately ordered the album. Much to my surprise, the song I bought it for is now my LEAST favorite on the album! That is, I LOVE EVERYTHING ON THIS RECORDING! There isn't a clunker on it. Go out there and buy this, and while you are at it, get the others too. They are a wonderful listen to with the headphones on, sit back and prepare to be amazed!

I agree so much! There are so many bands that do not get the world wide recognition they deserve. They are a world class act! Only my Side of The Story!