"The Grey Death Billow"
(Self Released)
eight / ten
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RED ESKIMO "The Grey Death Billow" (Self Released)
eight / ten |
The good old Emerald Isle might currently be heavily snowed under in economic turmoil, but out of it a group called Red Eskimo are ensuring that our country's artistic endeavour is as richly prosperous as it can be. Hailing from Limerick, the three-piece, often described as veering between the soundscapes of lo-fi and melodic rock, have, with this new release, The Grey Death Billow, set tremendous heights for themselves.
Formed in 2003 as a result of Newland Gesture's split, the group's distinct sound, shifting from the suave sexiness and dreamy grooves of latter-day Sonic Youth to the great atmospheric heights reached by the Arcade Fire, is consistent and equally impressive throughout. Opener "You Know What You Want" breaks the album nicely into a melodic mood that persists through each track; delicate sounds of space-like guitar shifts, coupled with vocals that could be mistaken for Thurston Moore, start the album off an impressive footing. And credit to RE, that initial feeling, one of impression, doesn't cease.
With "Grace," we are treated with a chilling, ghostly narrative that sounds like something Slint may have produced had they been a tad more subtle, whilst the seven minutes of 'Headlights' stands out as the album's best track. 'Like it, Leave It' gives us the noisy and funked up stirring we were hoping was to arrive before too long. And perhaps, despite the excellence of the album as a whole, that's where it may be slightly lacking - a few stomping thrashings of electrified noise it would seem they would be more than capable of producing.
However, The Grey Death Billow as it is should be celebrated for its creative depth and uniqueness in offering something promising, and ultimately exciting, to this country in times where we need it more than ever.
Mark Kelleher
www.myspace.com/redeskimo
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