If you like legendary Brit bands like The Smiths and The Cure, you'll get a kick out of this Australian rock outfit. Red Riders channel various Britpop groups to absorb their listeners with lingering ballads and fast paced toe-tappers.
Formed in 2003, Red Riders are relative old hands in today's "flash in the pan" music world. Early on, they toured alongside
Aussie bands Jet and the Sleepy Jackson, before assisting Franz Ferdinand on their tour of down under in 2004. They then released a self-titled EP before signing with Sydney music label Ivy League (currently home to Cloud Control, Sparkadia, and the Hives, among others).
After a second EP (The Plan A) and further touring around Australia, the band spent a large part of 2006 recording what would be their first full-length album in picturesque Byron Bay. This album, Replica Replica,was well received, and their single "Slide In Next To Me" was voted into the extremely reputable Triple J's hottest 100 songs of that year.
One of the founding members of the band, Adrian Deutsch, left in early 2008 in order to concentrate on a solo career. He was eventually replaced by Vines bassist, Brad Heald.
After again supporting Franz Ferdinand, the band released their second album, Drown in Colour, which was again critically acclaimed. The two singles, "You Got A Lotta Nerve" and "Ordinary" are classic rock tracks. The former of the two, which was the first release off the album, reeks of heartbreak and lost love with heavy bass guitar breaking up the wailing chorus. "Ordinary" is a personal favorite of mine, mostly due to my love of The Smiths, who I am reminded of by this track. This is a more upbeat tune than a lot of their other material, one which you can't help but smile and sing along to.
Red Riders are a class Australian band, and I for one am surprised that they haven't risen to the level of some other groups that have far less talent. They are currently working on a third studio album, and maybe the next release will be the one which catapults them to the level they clearly deserve.
SIMILAR SONGS
