Red Sparrowes

Every Red Heart Shines Toward The Red Sun

[4/5] Red Sparowes let their song titles tell the story. What seems like a short narrative printed on the back of the CD case is, in fact, the track listing; nine long sentences describing greed and hubris leading to inevitable, if somewhat ironic, catastrophe. Its a fun little tale, but what it has to do with the music is anybodys guess. And it hardly matters; the pieces more than stand on their own. Instro-rock is usually either numbingly repetitive (think any surf music not played by Dick Dale) or an excuse for tedious masturbation (think Joe Satriani or Steve Vai). Red Sparowes are aiming for something grander, like classical music played by a small rock ensemble, and most of the time they succeed. The guitar lines interweave over throbbing but never static rhythms, creating soundscapes reminiscent of Neurosis and Isis (each of whom contribute a member to this group), but also the quieter moments of Opeth. Whether you care about the story or not, its quite a beautiful piece of music, well worth absorbing at length. (NEUROT) Phil Freeman

ROCKS LIKE: Isis’ Panopticon • Cult Of Luna’s Somewhere Down The Highway • Neurosis’ A Sun That Never Sets