Album Review: Little Red – Midnight Remember
Editor’s note: We realise that this album was already released in Little Red’s home country of Australia in 2010 but they’re finally releasing it proper in America next week, so we wanted to review it this time around so if you missed it then, you won’t miss it now.
Words by Ellie Molitor
After a successful first release, Little Red seemed to have cracked the retro-pop code: who knew Brian Wilson and Julian Casablancas would make such beautiful-sounding, melodic babies? Little Red did, and they delivered with a fantastic debut, ‘Listen to Little Red’, an album that commanded audiences to update their iPods and take a gander at the Melbourne quintet.
Now Little Red have returned with a polished, well-considered sophomore release, ‘Midnight Remember’. Abandoning their cool, lo-fi sound, school boy demeanour and doo-wop cheesiness, this album accomplishes exactly what a sophomore release should: organic growth. It is impressive to see a band so young fail to get stuck in their vices, and instead mature as songwriters and artists. However, a healthy dose of what made fans fall in love with Little Red in the first place – their enchanting harmonies, charming, danceable melodies and instrumentally polished soundscapes – is still evident. Opening track ‘Get a Life’ brings listeners into Little Red’s world, one where summer never sets. Rampant with ethereal harmonies and looping instrumentation, it’s easy to get lost in their complex soundscapes. But lead singer Adrian Beltrame’s voice stands out amongst the buzz, and Taka Honda manages to create a sturdy backbone on the drums, making for a well balanced beginning to the album.
Highlights of the album include current single ‘Rock It’, a groovy track with foot-tapping bass lines and a riff on the keys that’ll be hard to get out of anyone’s head. Coming in about half way through the album, anthemic track “All Mine” keeps listeners on their toes with well-crafted releases of tension. All in all, this album captures the spirit of summer nights while still remaining a successful benchmark for Little Red’s maturation of sound. Their harmonies evoke simpler times, and paired with complex soundscapes, ensure listeners that they belong in the present.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoQwwcf2ERU[/youtube]
7.5/10
‘Midnight Remember’, the new album from Little Red, is released next week (25 October) in America on True Panther.
Leave Your Response