ALBUM REVIEWS
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ALBUM REVIEWS |
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Flood of Red
LEAVING EVERYTHING BEHIND DARK CITY 19.10.09 @www.vanguard-online.co.uk
Flood of Red have thrown caution to the wind for the release of their debut album. Rather than signing a deal with an established record company, the Scottish six-piece have set up a variety of ways in which fans can get hold of their music directly – from basic downloads to bundles including merchandise and exclusive tracks. A daring move, I’m sure you’ll agree. But, as we’ve recently seen with The Boxer Rebellion’s contract with HMV, this way of cutting out the middleman can reap great success. But does the music match the effort put into its dissemination? In a word, yes – for what we find on “Leaving Everything Behind”, are tracks that stretch their genre, layering instruments and even throwing a few surprises in here and there, while maintaining a common sound to identify the band – no mean feat. The album opens with “The Edge Of The World”, a floaty prelude that is reprised as the final track, bookending the other 12 songs, before launching into “The Harmony”, which introduces the band’s sound, complete with half-spoken vocals, layered guitars and drums that combine the resonance of Indie and the energy of Metal. Tracks of note include “Like Elephants”, which may not be as jolly as you would hope, but still makes its mark; “The Heartless and the Loving”, with a great depth of instrumentation and prominent guitars ; “Paper Lungs” and “Hope Street”. “I Am The Speechless” shows the band’s faster, more intense, rockier side (which I wish they would turn to more often). Sadly, the album’s supporting single, “Home Run (1997)”, is not the best track on the album and may lose them potential fans – while it’s good, any of the above songs would have been a better choice of single. Flood of Red do have a tendency to become samey on the surface of their tracks, but there are enough differences between the songs to make them distinctive. Definitely an album that’s worth a few listens to properly appreciate; it may be a grower, but give it time and you’ll be rewarded. www.floodofred.co.uk |
