Guillemots, Red

The indie mavericks return with album no.2
Review by Stan Moss

When they released their successful debut album in 2006 I suspected Fyfe Dangerfield's indie misfits Guillemots were different from the crowd of post-Libertines wannabes. Too much of a bunch of mavericks to stick to one script. Sure enough, their new LP 'Red' confirms that view, as it opens a whole new chapter and signifies a new-found confidence. Here there's a whole new pool of influences.

Lead single Get Over It is the most exuberant track on 'Red', the flagbearer of a collection of catchy and experimental pop songs. If the Scissor Sisters were a touch less over the top that's what they would sound like. Track one, epic singalong Kriss Kross, instantly grabs you by the throat while Standing On The Last Star will linger round your brain for the next couple of years.

Critics have pointed out that Guillemots going all R&B is bound to fail in some quarters. But ‘Red’ is more a parody of the genre than the real thing. Only, this time round you'll be able to judge directly on the dancefloor. Dangerfield said "We didn't want to make Through The Windowpane 2. That was a softer record. This time around we just wanted to make a bunch of pop songs that punched, instantly". Why not.