Pleasantly disheveled and slightly wistful, Red Sea Station has crafted an indie album with a mélange of small, revolving melodic motifs coming from every direction, united with a backbone of sprightly, rubbery beats. Cycling twinkles framed by a fast, glitch-pop electro attack full of sine wave blips and fuzzed-out guitars, they are perpetually watching the sun break out of the clouds. It is an album like that of Syd Barrett’s, at times cheerful to the point of absurdity, as well as great fun and yet at others eerily poignant and prophetic.
Musical arrangements aside, the real story lies in the making of the album. It was recorded across six thousand miles and six cities (San Diego, Detroit, New York, Portland, Cairo, Albany) in bedrooms, bathrooms, basements, and everywhere in between. And then tragedy struck. Near the completion of the project, band member Jeff Grey was camping in Michigan when he was caught up in an unexpected windstorm with winds in excess of seventy miles per hour. A tree came crashing down on his tent, killing him instantly.
Left with an unfinished project and the prophetic last songs Grey wrote (Closer to the End, Last Marathon, The Other End, Time Will Show), Kevin McGoldrick, the sole surviving member, moved half a world away to Cairo, Egypt and nearly abandoned the project. Nearing a nervous breakdown and in a last ditch effort to save the music he turned to New York drummer Zach Eichenhorn (Gold & Gunmetal, Adam’s Castle) and Portland-based songwriter Justin Potts for help. They responded by helping McGoldrick sift through nearly 2 hours of music and adding the drums needed to complete the project.
The result now is their debut album. Inspired by the dreamy and ethereal soundscapes of late-80’s British pop (Ride, Catherine Wheel, Chapterhouse, Majesty Crush), over-the-top vocal sounds (ala Damon Albarn, Jarvis Cocker, David Gedge, Barrett & Bowie), intricately woven electronic arrangements (Plaid, Aphex Twin, Kid Loco, Beach Boys) and an American Indie ethos (see New Wet Kojack, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Superchunk), their new album exudes Alphabet City Swagger. But it gets its true inspiration from quiet Sunday mornings in Glasgow, where silence is golden (Red House Painters, The Doves, Mogwai, Elliot Smith). You’re roughed up, you’re tired and you’re just happy you made it through the night.
Special Note:
40% of all proceeds go to charity (The Jeff Grey Memorial Fund)
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