Reviews

Artist: The Red Army
Album: N/A
Label: N/A
Rating: ***
Contact: hammadnes@hotmail.com

This is not a regular Cambridge And Beyond type review, in the sense that we've not got any product to review and neither have we got a gig that we've been to to catch the band at live.
What we have had is a collection of demos and the over-riding enthusiasm of one of the band members, fiddle player Richard Trethewey, to get his band to a wider audience.
Like a lot of bands that we've featured as late, The Red Army hail from the county of Cornwall. In their purest guise they consist of, Richard(fiddle), Phil(guitar and the main writer in the band, Rachel Shepherd(vocals), Florence MacDonald(backing vocals/keyboards) and Carina Miles, whose been described as possibly the loudest drummer in Cornwall. Occasionally the band have a bass player along for the ride.
The band play in the space that's widely described as indie folk and obviously draw on influences from outside of the folk arena. It can be difficult for bands to draw both traditional and modern together, both in sound and instrumentation, but The Red Army do it well. You can see why a buzz is beginning to build, even if it's got a way to go before it swarms. The BBC has already spoken highly of them. To my knowledge they are not forth or five generation folkies or even second come to that, rather a band that has discovered the sound through their own volition
The band are relatively young and I would argue, still trying to pull together too many influences together, but would caution against trying to change it if it's what imparts the fun. The important thing is to enjoy the music. It will come together.
Most importantly, The Red Army are definitely progressing and building. The most recent demo that I've heard 'Hide Away' shows that the band is getting to understand the processes that bring together all the elements required to make good music.
Given the right breaks I can't see any reason why this band shouldn't break out to the wider audience that Richard and, no doubt, the rest of the band want to reach. In that respect I suggest that they do two things. 1 keep enjoying it. 2 get some proper photos done, get a proper press pack together and start reaching out to promoters and venues. If you're a promoter that's got a support slot available for an up and coming band. Get in touch at the e-mail address above.