Box of Secrets

Blood Red Shoes

V2

2008-04-14

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Blood Red Shoes are Laura-Mary Carter (vocals, guitar) and Steve Ansell (vocals, drums), who formed a few years ago in the wake of both’s previous groups splitting up, after having previously met in a donut shop and become friends by nature of liking the same things. Their shared sensibilities and interests come easily across in the focused drive of their angsty rock songs and the pair offer a refreshing music simultaneously louder than most who are this numerically-limited (personnel-wise), and catchier than most this loud.

with real melodies and hooks beneath the jarring noise

Box of Secrets is long and eagerly awaited, with a hefty build-up of smaller releases preceding it helping to build the buzz that now surrounds the group, starting with Victory For The Magpie back in 2005. Almost all of the group’s seven singles since that first release are here on their debut album (although several are newer versions than previously released) meaning fans will easily know what to expect from the full-length: vocals rasping, singing and shouting out alongside angry guitars lashing riffs that could cut down trees, bolstered and fired forwards by impassioned and forceful percussion, but with real melodies and hooks beneath the jarring noise. Although the band are more likely to share stages with the likes of Maximo Park, Panic at the Disco and New Young Pony Club the pair’s interests take in riot grrrl, grunge and punk rock and their music is often more akin to the likes of Nirvana, Sleater Kinney, Huggy Bear, or Fugazi — overall sitting in a position bringing together the accessibility and chart-friendliness of the former list but with the added grit of the latter.

The frantic urgency and sense of purpose in the songs carries Box of Secrets forward and with danceable beats and cathartic noise alongside lyrics addressing the real and everyday there’s plenty for people to dive into here. Unfortunately though despite offering some great tracks in songs like “I Wish I Was Someone Better” and “You Bring Me Down” the pair’s sound feels limited and worn as the album moves into its latter stages. As many of these tracks have been knocking around for several years now it’s hardly surprising that this feeling surfaces at some point though, and it is very likely that a second album will offer more time and space to arrest this and therefore stands as an exiting prospect.