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What do you get when you have a group of lads raised on the best
of what Britpop has had to offer over the last 25 years or so that
get together and start up a band? You get a beautifully laid out rock
album with bits of classic music thrown together with more modern
influence. You get Redding. The band is made up of college
students from St. Louis, and their chemistry is not necessarily unique,
but it is vibrant and oh-so-good.
The tracks on their self-titled debut range in sound from shoegazey
walls of guitars to poppy almost-emo tracks, and in the midst of it
all, the band blends together styles to create a very likeable and
mature sound. "Another Day" is a sublime track to start
this band's career, with its crystal production and almost anthemic
drive. Joseph Graves' voice is very clear and not at all grating
when he launches into his easy falsetto. His breathing and phrasing
are wonderfully orchestrated like great pop music should be. "Gleam"
is a bit more of an artful approach to the pop song, with excellent
drag drumming by Jon Stamm, and a thick bass groove provided
by Jeff McCullough. Daniel Gula's guitar work is chiming
and bright, reminiscent of early parts by the Edge, utilizing
just the right amount of effects to create a sublime sound without
drowning out the melodies. By the time the modern-rock stomp of "Unringing
Bells" hits your ears, the band has found its stride and wormed
their way into the listener's heart. The song is a catchy tune, replete
with hooks that will be sticking in your ears for days to come.
While this CD is short, consisting of only eight songs, those songs
are all solidly written, performed and recorded. Redding is
a perfect introduction to what may turn out to be one of the finest
young bands of the decade… if they can continue to write solid
material that spans musical genres and is imbued with the emotional
courage that is found here on their debut CD.
-Embo Blake
Track Listing:
1. Another Day
2. Gleam
3. In Montauk
4. Unringing Bells
5. All I Can Hold
6. What You've Become
7. Bottlenecking
8. Concerning Our Escape
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