Blood Red Shoes – GHOSTS ON TAPE

Blood Red Shoes drop their latest album ‘GHOSTS ON TAPE’

The noisiest duo in Brighton return with their sixth album ‘ GHOSTS ON TAPE’.  The incredible music was written in their new home in LA and the record showcases the band taking a huge leap into something new.

‘GHOSTS ON TAPE’ is an album that takes strangers to a miserable and catastrophic new world and many songs on the album are written with character and personality to help us understand their sound and any meaning behind their lyrics.  The songs have an element of maturity as well as passion and I would say they have been extremely creative with this album. Due to the pandemic the band were unable to release the album and plan a tour up until now but I’m sure it has been worth the wait giving us all something to look forward to this year.

‘GHOSTS ON TAPE’ is a brilliant album and is put together beautifully, it has raw passion and emotion as well as electric energy which is enough to get you jumping around to their heavy rock beats. The sharp sounds mixed with distinct, deep and soft vocals from both singers make the tracks sound both magnificent and remarkable. I could listen to these vocals for days they are so infectious and are truly mesmerising as they bring us catchy, funky and upbeat hits. Their music is somewhat different to other acts in their genre as each song is unique and a bit out of this world as it goes from mellow to dramatic in a matter of seconds, I also feel that by allowing both members to sing individually helps showcase their talent and help them stand out more.

The band feel that they have always been outsiders and this album is all about them living in their own little bubble, being free to be who they want to be. Blood Red Shoes have experienced an entire career of being rejected and not fitting in and this has inspired them to push into all of that strangeness to help emphasise all the things that make them original. An obsession with crime is some of the reasons behind their tracks, however it seems that the songs are personal to them as it allows them to express any dark thoughts or feelings they may have which shows both honesty and vulnerability.

The opening track ‘COMPLY’ is very powerful and builds up to the climax of the story as the vocals reach a point of almost screaming and the sounds start of calm but then the tension starts to climb. The use of the piano is very clever as it brings something new and I feel it sounds perfect alongside other instruments that are louder. The words “I will not comply” sets the scene as it tells us how he will not follow the rules and continue to be himself, the feeling of being controlled is unbearable for some hence why people tend to lash out and go off on their own to enable them to be free. I really enjoy this song as it is full of emotion and the vocals are outstanding as they make the track dark and mysterious with a hint of spookiness. It’s a heavy but strong starter for the album.

Another favourite of mine is ‘MURDER ME’ as this is another song that gives of creepy vibes. The intense vocals send chills down my spine through the atmospheric yet grim sounds. It gives me the feeling of being in a musky graveyard as death is amongst us. The words “I sleep alone” indicate the thought of being lonely which spirals out of control landing in a black hole leaving them wishing their life away. The theme is very relatable as everyone goes through life feeling blue and down in the dumps and sharing this helps people realise they’re not as alone as they think. ‘MURDER ME’ is full of personality and flavour as each note we listen to is rich and indulging making us want more and it is also interesting to hear a change in vocals and this time they sound dreary but fantastic.

‘GIVE UP’ is another one that screams both frustration and being unhappy. In life we associate the word give up when we try our hardest at something and cannot complete it so we simply just leave it alone and this is what people do sometimes when they are fed up with life, they give up and drown themselves in alcohol to make them feel better. It feels personal for the pair because if they couldn’t finish writing or were struggling to play a certain note then they would give up on it. This tune is fast paced and energetic and the vocals yet again feel like shouting rather than singing to express their feelings.

‘GHOSTS ON TAPE’ is out now via Jazz Life.

Jade Morris