Red Pens “Reasons” Review

In the last year or so it seems like you can’t go a month without finding another great local band popping up on the radar in the Twin Cities. This renaissance in the music scene has been amazing for local music fans and, luckily, seems to show no signs of coming to a stop.

The latest band to blow me away is the noisy male/female duo Red Pens. The duo succeeds by melding together pieces of the last 20 years of indie rock to make a sound that is all their own. There are traces of the distorted, fractured pop of Yo La Tengo and Sonic Youth, the airtight melodies hidden behind fuzzy guitars of the Jesus and Mary Chain, and viscous, but beautiful, walls of guitars reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine at their ear-splitting best. While they touch on all of these sounds, the songs on Reasons never become a pastiche and show a band adept at mixing and matching various genres to create an exciting and engaging LP.

The band, comprised of Howard W. Hamilton III on guitar and lead vocals and Laura F. Bennett on drums and backing vocals, make quite a racket for a duo. The sound on the disc (which is now being re-issued by Grain Belt Records) is excellent and really captures the forcefulness of their sound. The whole 12 song album is solid, with no tracks finding their way into the “skip” category. Standouts include the massive sounding “Baby Alligator,” the dissonant “Children and the Kids,” complete with Iggy Pop-like “uh uh’s” and the propulsive opener “Hung Out.” When the band peels off some of the layers of noise, like on the sweetly melodic “Weekdays,” Hamilton’s strong songwriting and vocal talents become even more evident. Throughout the disc, Hamilton’s guitar work is spot on and sounds likes waves of metal crashing through the speakers. His layers of noisy fretwork is perfectly accompanied by Bennett’s cymbal heavy drum work. She is alternatively aggressive and engaged and loose and complimentary, though always allowing the swirling guitars to stay front and center.

[uncredited group shot via MySpace]

When the 30+ minute assault finally comes to an end, you find yourself starting it back over again at the beginning. The disc offers layers of sound that allow the listener to unpack something new each time they listen to the record. On Reasons Red Pens have proven themselves to be wise beyond their years, crafting an arresting album that transcends the local scene and positions them to be heard in the near future by a much bigger audience.

Purchase | Official | MySpace

Also: Red Pens @ Electric Fetus