The Band: REDTRACK The Release: ‘WHOLE TOWN’S HEART’
The Band: REDTRACK The Release: ‘WHOLE TOWN’S HEART’ The Formats: CD ALBUM & DOWNLOAD The Release Date: AUGUST 9TH 2010 The Record Company: LABEL FANDANGO The Catalogue Number: SCURRY 001
The Truth: REDTRACK consist of Billy Wright (guitar / vox), Phil Blake (bass / vox) and Andrew Perry (drums). They come from Southend-On-Sea, their bass player has survived an attack with a meat cleaver and they reckon they sound like a cross between Girls Aloud and The Clash. Oh, and they were a powerpop trio until last week when new band fourth member Mitch Silvey joined them onstage at the Lexington to add extra guitar, keyboards and vocals, although not all at the same time.
** ‘Whole Town’s Heart’ is the debut album by REDTRACK. It is chewy and tuneful and, with its smalltown panic attacks and punchy new wave melodic jabs, sees them nodding towards the classic Britpopesque heritage of Weller, Difford and Costello. Small wonder then that punkoid peer Pete Shelley from The Buzzcocks was so enamoured with the REDTRACK tracks that he co-produced (alongside Dave M Allen) their last single, ‘Poledancer’, which appears on this here album.
** That isn’t the only celebrity light shining on ‘Whole Town’s Heart, as it features a feisty guest appearance from ‘Hollyoaks’ starlet Hollie Jay Bowes on ‘Pretty Boy’, a spin-off from the band’s recent performance on the show. ‘Whole Town’s Heart’ is also the first ever album release on Label Fandango, the Pointy Recordings / fierce panda offshoot which has previously concentrated on ace singles by the likes of Broken Records, Fanfarlo, Air Traffic and more. And frankly it is a miracle that this record even exists seeing as how three years ago bassist Phil Blake was attacked with an airgun and a meat cleaver and so badly hurt that he needed microsurgery on severed tendons in his arm.
** That he is back playing is a testament to his spirit in the face of potentially crippling adversity. Certainly the printed press and television stations have recently been fascinated by his recovery. And seeing REDTRACK live you can see why his band mates downed instruments and waited for him to recover, for they are tightknit quartet of tautest order. As for that somewhat daring reference to Girls Aloud and The Clash? Listen to future single ‘The Trier’ and try to keep those blue suede shoes from moving at these shows here…
MAY 6TH LONDON Brick Lane 93 Feet East SAVE 6 MUSIC GIG (w/ Ian McNabb + Goldheart Assembly + I Like Trains) MAY 8TH TORQUAY International Riviera Centre MAY 9TH PLYMOUTH Ride Caf&eactute; MAY 12TH BRIGHTON Hector’s House MAY 22ND PLYMOUTH The Hippo MAY 31ST LIVERPOOL The Cavern International Pop Overthrow JUNE 2ND LONDON Hoxton Bar & Kitchen (Range Life) JUNE 6TH LONDON Carnaby Street ‘60s Weekend Festival JUNE 17th BLYTH - Blyth & Tyne, Northumberland JUNE 18th MANCHESTER - Mansion JUNE 19TH NEWCASTLE VW Festival JUNE 22ND LONDON Highbury Buffalo Bar (Club Fandango) (single launch party) JULY 27TH BARNSLEY Bomfest AUGUST 12TH NORTH YORKSHIRE Moorfest SEPT10TH PETERLEE Leisure Centre SEPT 11TH EXETER Ivy Live OCT 9TH OXFORD University
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