poppedmusic

Red Rum Club – Black Cat
Words: Elena Katrina

Eyes are glaring at me from across the room. Concentration is etched in the brow that is furrowed above them. “Red Rum Club!” – Bingo! I do enjoy what has become an unintentional game of “guess whose new track this is” – without even having to ask or utter a word. Simply press play and watch the confusion, frustration, and concentration happen while I sit back merrily already forming opinions. This time I didn’t get much joy out of this game – “I knew it!” He declares, full of beans.

The above indicates two things to me. 1. that Red Rum Club have, yet again, administered their musical prescription in a way that even the most useless of remembering a band name or song name can know who it is right from the get-go. 2. It also means I’ve done a fabulous job of turning someone else into a massive Red Rum Club Fan. So I guess well done them, and well done me!

“Black Cat“, was unintentionally released on International Black Cat Day (someone somewhere on this release must have known this, surely?- it’s pure genius). The opening riff instantly excites me. With its ominous introduction; giving off-kilter vibes that The Smiths would have killed for. But it’s the staccato pacing of the vocal delivery from frontman Francis, when it kicks in, punctuated by Red Rum Club’s tight rhythm section that really gets me going on the few listens. Then all of a sudden I’m picked up and thrust into a storm of electrifying guitar and a bassline that layers so beautifully you can all but feel it pounding.

Upon every listen “Black Cat” is delivering more and more – this is not your average indie band or your average rock track. Fans of Red Rum Club are well versed now in trumpet but this feels next level from ‘Joe The Blow’. There’s a freshness here, yet also a sound that harks back to their debut release, perhaps that’s why I’m so excited to hear what will come next from one of Liverpool’s finest. This has got to be one of their best yet.

Listen to Black Cat here: