In only two albums, Melbourne natives Little Red have already navigated 50 years of pop music. While their charming debut ‘Listen to Little Red‘ was a fun, 50’s doo-wop party album, their sophomore release ‘Midnight Remember‘ is rooted in decidedly more modern sounds.
Mostly gone are the “sha la las” and R&B harmonies, duly replaced by anthemic festival-ready choruses that suggest far more contemporary influences, bands like MGMT, Phoenix, and even fellow Australians, Empire of the Sun. Little Red are already all but stars down under, where ‘Midnight Remember’ was rapturously received by critics and charted at number five. Having supported the likes of Kasabian, Vampire Weekend and Spoon, the five-piece are now bringing their summery indie-pop to the UK and US.
‘Midnight Remember’ opens with the serene ‘Get a Life‘, a song which moulds Beach Boys harmonies to a laid back dance track. It’s lush and lazy in all the right places and sets the tone for the whole album. The production is sparse, with guitars and synths given plenty of room to breathe. Rubbery bass lines are given a prominent place in the mix. The guitars paint broad, Edge-like brush strokes, while chiming pianos pick out melodies of their own. It’s all cased in an atmospheric day-glow perfect for sitting about in the sun.
To the band’s credit, there is still a subtle and pleasing diversity to ‘Midnight Remember’. Folk influences characterise ‘In My Bed‘ while ‘Follow You There‘ and ‘I Can’t Wait‘ are both ‘Joshua Tree‘ era U2. Even better is ‘Little Bit of Something‘, a clear, albeit very unexpected nod to Bruce Springsteen, with its bombastic chorus and sense of yearning to be free. “Well you can stay in the same place ’til the day you die/and watch it fade away right before your eyes.” It’s the most impassioned song on an album of otherwise relaxed summer pop, and adds a bit of much needed grunt to ‘Midnight Remember’.
But the album’s pinnacle is by far and away, the irresistible ‘Rock It‘. The track hit number two on the Triple J Hottest 100, propelled by an outrageously catchy chorus and made Little Red darlings of the Australian indie music scene. It’s easy to see why. ‘Rock It’ is an infectious pop song in every sense. Starting with a simple, but instantly hummable bassline, a dainty piano soon joins the party and by the time lead singer Dominic Byrne starts to croon – “Alive, all of the colour in the night” – you’ll be giddy for the festival season. Synths and handclaps are tastefully used and the chorus is simply heaven. “Rock it to the break of day/Don’t stop rocking now no way/ Rock it to the early dawn/soon those good times will be gone.” A singalong is all but guaranteed.
Above all else, Little Red are a fun band. There’s a youthful exuberance and clear love of music which shines through on ‘Midnight Remember’. It’s this sense of fun which has already made them ubiquitous indie figures in Australia and if anything will translate into success in the UK/US, surely it’s youthful exuberance.
(Luke Henriques-Gomes)
