In the forests of Englandshire, something stirs and with the rustling leaves and chorus of words whispered upon the wind announcing the return of ethereal duo Red Painted Red. Although they are actually based in Manchester, their music is not the music of the urban combat zone but more of parallel organic deconstruction.
This is art, of course, but a curiously soothing art being superficially like a series of musical pictures painted in pastel. The undercurrent, though, is a lot greyer than that pretty landscape would ever be with inner torment high on the lyrical agenda. Yvonne Neve's dramatic vocal interpretations dose those dark words with emotion adding a notable edge to the disturbing sentiments expressed in ""I Can't See" and "Days To Die From Paracetamol" and, balanced against her siren like charms, are some truly bleak and, at times, almost industrial ambient soundscapes.
An acquired taste they may be but Red Painted Red are the archetypal square peg that refuses resolutely to fit in the round hole of mediocrity.
The elaborate packaging of the CD is also worthy of note for those who still like it physical.