A word you often hear associated with Brighton is ‘fashionable’ and, if nothing else, that’s quite a good way to sum up attitudes south of the capital. Sussex’s sleepless Shoreditch-On-Sea is home to as many people trying hard enough to look different that they end up looking identical to eachother as it is to bands trying hard enough to stand out by sounding different from their ‘in-vogue’ conterparts that they end creating a whole new breed of carbon copy dirge.
Fortunately, something with a bit of flair emerges from the grey now and again. Blood Red Shoes‘ debut album ‘Box of Secrets’ and preceding singles were a much needed breath of fresh air for people just about ready to tear a dirty white v-neck from the chest of the nearest pre-pubescent sunglassed rock-star-in-training and fashion a neatly tied noose.
A few years down the line and the bar is set high for Blood Red Shoes on album number two following a break from the touring and promotion cycle. Thankfully ‘Fire Like This’ sounds less like a band who needed to throw something out there and more like a band progressing naturally in a direction that they wanted to take.
If ‘Box of Secrets’ was a bark, then ‘Fire Like This’ is most definitely a bite, and though perhaps not possessing the same instant catchiness as it’s predecessor, the infectiousness and urgency starts hitting home after a few cycles.
Considering quantity of personell, Blood Red Shoes always made a startling racket live and on record, and you have to respect the band for picking up where they left off and creating a whole new beast out of it. ‘Fire Like This’ has a great mix of gritty (Heartsink) and thoughtful (Where We Wake) moments without taking the foot foot off the pedal, and it ends up an accomplished, cohesive and mature sophomore effort.
Mike Crossey (Foals, Artic Monkeys, The Enemy) once again took the reigns behind the desk and has done a great job making the band sound fantastic.