Blimey. The last time I came across RED BOX I was still writing for ‘Sounds’ and bizarre conceits like the Internet and the Millennium were barely a gleam in the eyes of the future.
I reviewed their last album ‘Motive’ in 1990. As I recall, it was a very smooth and grown up affair with lots of synths, pianos and immaculately-crafted melodies. It was pleasant enough, but erred on the bland side and had little of the World music elements that had marked out its’ predecessor, 1986’s ‘The Circle & the Square.’
I played the album a number of times, filed the review and gradually forgot about Red Box. I’m not really sure what happened next. Their website (Red Box online) isn’t a lot of help, save to tell us their co-founder Simon Toulson-Clarke went on to work in the guise as A&R ‘music consultant’ for Red Box’s then-label East West. Apparently, he held this post from 1992-1998, but then....nothing.
Until now, when – as if from nowhere – Red Box suddenly break their Blue Nile-style gap of two decades between releases with their new album ‘Plenty’. There’s continuity of sorts in that Toulson-Clarke is still the central figure and chief singer/ song-writer, though his fellow co-founder Julian Close is no longer involved. Instead, Toulson-Clarke is supported by several multi-instrumentalist friends like Derek Adams, Simon Cole and Steve Carr and he finds himself back where he began in indie-land, with the label who released Red Box’s debut album ‘Chenko’ in the mists of 1983.
And, I’m pleased to say ‘Plenty’ is much better than I expected. It’s still a pop record of sorts, it’s still a grown-up affair and it’s still well-crafted, but it’s not afraid to wear its’ bruises on its’ sleeve or drag a palpable sense of loss in its’ wake either. The songs are a lot more organic-sounding, with larger arrangements often building upon Toulson-Clarke’s frail acoustic guitar and close-miked vocal framework.
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The poised, piano-based ‘Stay’ provides a promising start, while swaying, world-weary concoctions like ‘The Sign’ and ‘Without’ join forces with more exquisite pin-drop ballads like ‘I’ve Been Thinking of You’ and ‘Sacred Wall’ to cement the positive impression. Elsewhere, the redemptive ‘Brighter Blue’ brings a welcome lightness of touch and the hymnal organ and melancholic frankness of the title track (“let your sad song wind down the road I’m on/ leave the lights on until my shadow’s long”) is good enough to melt the most cynical of hearts.
It doesn’t always convince, mind. Songs like ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Don’t Let Go’ aim for that big Coldplay-style slow-burn, but they’re too over-wrought for my liking, while the meandering ‘Say what’s In Your Head’ just plods and meanders around in circles. The closing ‘Never Let It Be Said’ isn’t big on ideas either, but it makes up for it by utilising an eerie Buffy Sainte-Marie sample which is so soaked in atmosphere it can’t possibly fail.
All of which conspires to ensure ‘Plenty’ presents itself as something of an introspective success. How it will fair commercially in such a ruthless, recessionary world is another matter, of course, but whatever the outcome, Red Box’s second coming is surprisingly welcome. Let’s hope the follow-up doesn’t require such a Lazarus-like gestation period.
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