Guillemots – Red
Guillemots slick and slim debut “Through The Windowpane” was an ambitious record but it was a start for the band. The record had a few wholes but on a whole it was a really solid record. You could nit pick the lyrics on like a track like “Made Up Love Song #43″ but when you are a person in love those lyrics seem perfect. Another argument that could be made is that the album filled with string happen grandiose indie tunes. Some, might think the songs were to over the top. One thing for certain is that “Through The Windowpane” had a number of sure fire hits on the record.
“Red” is not the same as the bands debut album. If you go through the record there are no huge hits that smack you in the face like “Trains To Brazil” on the debut which, just had a mass appeal. The band being such a diverse and eclectic group have always had a wide ranging sound but “Red” takes that and uses it to go to the next level. “Red” is a very good record and really hard to pinpoint and describe.
Lead single, “Get Over It” is the albums one shot at the stadium filling anthem. It has all the parts to make the song into a massive machine huge riffs, a catchy hook and a lot of “woo woohoos” and those are always fun. “Kriss Kross” is the albums first song and it chugs along at a funky/glam rock whomp telling me to “dance with the your thunder and lightening.” Then you get the sexy sythns of “Big Dog” which, you might think you are listening to the latest R&B record as this song just slides and makes me want to gyrate. It leads into the tender and acoustic “Falling Out of Reach” quite nicely with a brilliant contrast here. The song has the emotional and the powerhouse possibilities that could easily have this one being a big summer tune. “Last Kiss” sounds like it could be the latest Girls Aloud single. The way that bombing bass picks up and comes right in and the bells and Aristazabal Hawkes takes over lead vocal duties and it comes across as spectacular. The track is a complete surprise and utterly brilliant as I can’t seem to get myself to move onto the next track. “Standing On The Last Star” will bowl you over with FeFe’s high pitched vocal.
What we have here is the sound of the band growing into their own shoes and getting more confident with time. “Red” is a refreshing record that gives you something new and completely different with each song.
By John Siwicki
