Red Admiral - There Is a Clearing - CD (2003)

Labels: Red Red
Review by: Graeme Cunningham

This is a self released CD by Edinburgh based band Red Admiral. Their label is called Red Red Records. The artwork is red. The first song is called “œraise the red flag”. Do I detect a theme here? I think so.

The aforementioned first track is possibly the best on this CD, coming across like an early Therapy? All quirky guitar parts and clattering drums. The chorus instructs us to “œraise the red flag on Beverly Hills”, a noble sentiment, even if raising a Black flag would be preferable. Second track “œCall centre” is an angular post-hardcore effort, similar to the sort of thing other locals like Eska put about. The vocals over the verse sound very Morrisey. In my book this is a bad thing.

Everything grinds to a halt on track three “œevening of the day”. Which is quite frankly horrible. Acoustic guitar, with a helping of Harmonium to up the “œyeugh” factor. It comes off like an irritating take on Badly Drawn Boy. It’s a fault they repeat with “œI can’t say there’s anything wrong with that”another Morrisey vocaled dirge, then again on “œwe lost the war” and “œla belle femme sans merci”. There’s a sort of Chemikal Underground style vibe to some of this. “œReign your fire down” is more up beat, building to a big finish. It looks at the declining fortunes of Christendom in the west. If being Christian makes your music this miserable, I’m not surprised the church is in decline.

There are a couple of more upbeat numbers like “œLaura Palmer”, probably the other contender for best track, very much in the style of Shellac. But there isn’t enough rock in ratio to dreary introspection. There’s nothing wrong with desolately miserable music, but this doesn’t connect with me.