Red Sleeping Beauty - Krisina
by Dixie Ernill
published: 6 / 9 / 2016
Label:
Labrador Records
Format: CD
intro
Welcome return from Stockholm-based indie pop band Red Sleeping Beauty with new album, their first in almost twenty years
Red Sleeping Beauty’s first album for close to twenty years is a very human affair as it is a tribute to band member, Kristina Borg, who is thankfully battling back from breast cancer. The band originally formed in the Swedish capital of Stockholm back in 1989 with vocalist Borg joined by seasoned indie-types Niklas Angergard (singer/guitarist of Acid House Kings fame), Mikael Matsson (guitarist, who has had stints in the Shermans and the Charade) and bassist Carl-Johan Nasstrom. After a string of singles and albums across a number of noted indie-labels, the band went into hibernation towards the end of the 1990s, before returning a couple of years back. Kristina retains all the gentle warmth of those early musical adventures, but, despite a love for vintage drum machines and synthesisers, the sound is also contemporary if heavily indebted to 80’s electro-pop. Whilst the album lacks the guitar led jangle, that normally floats my boat, in favour of keys, it retains a certain simple charm that is best enjoyed on a summer coastline drive. Songs like 'Tell Me More' and 'Merry Christmas Marie' also have one foot firmly on the dancefloor, while 'If You Want Affection' has a harder Gary Numan like sound. The band played Indietracks recently and I wanted to see how these songs came across live, but it clashed with being on a train listening to an intimate acoustic performance by White Town, so sadly I can only take the word of those I asked that saw them and it appears I missed a treat… Go buy the album and decide for yourself.
Track Listing:-
1 Cheryl, Cheryl, Bye2 Always
3 Tell Me More
4 Mi Amor
5 In the Darkest Hour
6 Merry Christmas, Marie
7 Breaking Up Is Easy
8 If You Want Affection
9 Don't Give In, Don't Give Up
10 I Am the Artist
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/redsleepingbeautymusichttps://twitter.com/redsleepingbeau
soundcloud
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
Chris Hludzik - Vinyl Stories
most viewed reviews
current edition
Marika Hackman - Big SighSerious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning Dew
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Banter - Heroes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart