Cover of Blood Red Shoes Box Of Secrets
maryg

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For fans of indie and alternative rock, lovers of minimalist guitar and drum duos, and followers of riot grrrl influenced music.
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LA RECENSIONE

Man - woman. Duel - harmony. Noise - melody. "Hate and love that become best friends."

Steven Ansell and Laura-Mary Carter, two English youths better known as Blood Red Shoes, play quite a lot with oxymorons and contrasts.

Don't expect the White Stripes' garage or the folk rock of the Evens by Ian MacKaye (the first mixed duos that come to mind); these two play an indie rock (even though they don't like to be called an indie band) without any particular embellishments.

"Box Of Secrets" (Mercury, 2008) is the first full-length after a handful of singles.

Laura-Mary is a former riot grrrl still devoted to Babes In Toyland and Bikini Kill: she plays the guitar in a minimal but sharp way, dirties her Telecasters with the Big Muff and sometimes uses a special instrument created specifically for her by luthier Yuri Landman, a 7-string guitar named Springtime (a Springtime II was designed by Landman for Lou Barlow).

Steven Ansell challenges Laura-Mary's riffs with drum beats: their voices first collide, then intertwine until they dissolve in unison. There is tension in their music, despite the clean vocal timbres and numerous serene melodic openings. "You Bring Me Down" flirts with the dance-punk of Foals and These New Puritans; in "This Is For You," there are noise hints à la Sonic Youth that culminate in the end.

In summary: nothing new.

They haven't invented anything, they don't display particular technical flashes, their album is compact to the point of repetitiveness.

But they are great, live they're formidable and they make for a very pleasant listen: what more could you ask from a young band of our times?

 

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Summary by Bot

Blood Red Shoes’ debut album 'Box Of Secrets' delivers an energetic indie rock experience marked by the interplay between Steven Ansell and Laura-Mary Carter. Their music balances tension and harmony without technical flair but remains engaging and enjoyable. The album echoes influences from riot grrrl and noise rock, with sharp guitar riffs and compelling drum beats. Despite some repetition and a lack of novelty, the album impresses especially in live settings.

Tracklist Lyrics Videos

01   Doesn't Matter Much (03:25)

02   You Bring Me Down (03:42)

03   Try Harder (03:49)

04   Say Something, Say Anything (03:12)

05   I Wish I Was Someone Better (03:47)

06   Take the Weight (04:37)

07   ADHD (03:16)

now now now now now now now now boyyy
hearing everything so faster
now now now now now now now now boyyy
giving myself a heart attack
now now now now now now now now boyy
i'm so bored i can't stand still
now now now now now now now now boyy
i'm so bored i can't think straight

i'm so, i'm so distracted
i'm so, i'm so distracted
i'm so, i'm so distracted
i'm so, i'm so distracted

now now now now now now now now boyyy
hearing everything so faster
now now now now now now now now boyy
giving myself a heart attack
now now now now now now now now boyy
i'm so bored i can't stand still
now now now now now now now now boyy
i'm so bored i can't think straight

i'm so, i'm so distracted
i'm so, i'm so distracted
i'm so, i'm so distracted
i'm so, i'm so distracted

i can't concentrate on anything at all
(i'm so, i'm so distracted. x2 )
i can't concentrate on anything at all
(i'm so, i'm so distracted. x2)

i'm so, i'm so distracted
i'm so, i'm so distracted
i'm so, i'm so distracted
i'm so, i'm so distracted

i can't concentrate on anything at all
(i'm so, i'm so distracted. x2 )
i can't concentrate on anything at all
(i'm so, i'm so distracted. x2)

i can't concentrate on anything at all.
I CAN'T CONCENTRATE ON ANYTHING AT ALL

08   This Is Not for You (04:32)

09   It's Getting Boring by the Sea (02:56)

10   Forgive Nothing (03:10)

11   Hope You're Holding Up (05:11)

Blood Red Shoes

English rock duo formed by Laura-Mary Carter and Steven Ansell, known for guitar-and-drums interplay and a noisy-yet-melodic indie rock sound.
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