Not content with resting on their laurels, 9 months after releasing their third record In Time To Voices, Blood Red Shoes are back with an EP that's got more bite than we've known from them in a while. The Water EP takes the rock edge of the duo that was sadly absent on much of In Time To Voices and puts it through the grinder across three huge tracks. Opening with Red River, the tenacity of the singles collection of the first two records is back. There's a dirty sounding lower end to Laura Mary's guitar that never goes away but that's backed up by a killer-hook and arena sized pulse that even the likes of the Kills have struggled with from time to time. It's truly a return to the powerful form that many considered to be lacking on their most recent effort. On Black Distractions, drummer Steve Ansell takes the lead as Queens of the Stone age appear to be being channelled through the Brightonians. From the refrain's "when you close your eyes I'll be there to summon the devil inside of you" through to the intricate cymbal crashes and grungey bass line, Ansell is every bit Homme's understudy for 2:38minutes. As you reach the third and last track on the Water EP, you can't help but wonder why it's over. Whilst Idle Hands is a fitting closer track, oozing over with the kind of fuzz that you'd expect a band of such a high live caliber to leave resonating through any venue they're allowed into; you want more of the same. Whilst In Time... had its moments in Cold and Je Me Perds, it never lifted off in the same way as you got with Box Of Secrets back in 2007 and for that you wondered if BRS' steady growth had capped itself. In the Water EP however, you're reminded of what a tour de force the power duo can be, even if in far too short a burst.
Dublin band The Cast of Cheers open up the nights festivities like a cheery Death From Above with insanely fast bass playing, synths and shouty vocals. There are some super fans in the crowd who scream along to every word and repeatedly shout “GOOSE!” (one of their songs, apparently) and you can tell the band find the fan-boys incredibly endearing. And so they should! It’s one of the liveliest welcomes I’ve seen for a support band in a while and they definitely deserve it.
The venue soon fills up and everyone eagerly pushes to the front. And it’s obviously because Blood Red Shoes’ stage set up is a thing of beauty. It’s a David Lynch inspired set with red curtains and table lamps, TVs displaying static and old fashioned film set lights. And it makes me fall in love with them even more. Stephen saunters onstage holding a drumstick in the air whilst Laura just oozes cool and they launch into their anti love song to Brighton, It’s Getting Boring By The Sea, that induces a mass sing-along. They race through a set that’s a perfect mix of songs from all 3 albums. From A.D.H.D. to newest single Lost Kids there is something to please every single type of Blood Red Shoes fan. Their set is punctuated with even more Lynch referencing “does anyone like Twin Peaks? And don’t just say yes!” and sadly, sexist heckling. Despite the few idiots in the crowd who are ignored thankfully, Blood Red Shoes put on an energetic live show that captures their grungey, 90s rock sound perfectly. And of course, in true 90s fashion pretty much everyone is moshing for the whole of their set.
Even though I had to dash off before the encore for a train my first ever Blood Red Shoes gig was not a disappointment and god knows why I hadn’t got round to witnessing their excellent live show before now.
First things first. Things I am not going to mention in this review: Twitter, You Me At Six, the boring album art. Now that’s understood, I can talk exclusively about this band and record. This is now Blood Red Shoes’ third album. The album that will realistically decide whether they’re going to remain a mid-size, slightly cultish band, or whether we’re going to be seeing a lot more of them across larger spaces for the foreseeable future. Judging on the tour size they’ve got coming up, they’re not entirely sure themselves, so what does the music have to say?
Well, from the start onwards, it becomes apparent that whilst there’s no bold and daring moves, Blood Red Shoes still do their thing better than their pretenders. Opening track 'In Time To Voices' is reminiscent of 2:54 (who supported them on their last tour) yet manages to exude power that just isn’t there with a lot of the new act. 'Lost Kids' seems to be a return to the Blood Red Shoes of old, but with more maturity. It’s a fuller sounding 'Say Something, Say Anything' whilst lead single 'Cold' just screams a rugged live atmosphere at you.
This then is the “grown up” record from the South coast duo. At times, making indie rock grow up can seem a bit boring, 'The Silence And Drones' and 'Night Light' are questionable examples of a struggle in the transformation, but that’s all dispelled with 'Je Me Perds'. It’s erratic yet somehow in control and it kind of turns the record’s borderline morosity around. Sure it’s a bit Kills, a bit Cage the Elephant, a bit Cribs and a bit reserved towards the back end, but it’s Blood Red Shoes and it’s going to make their live show something even more dominant in it’s genre.
