We haven't had a lot of press but what we've had has been pretty fun. Here's a sample (and when I say sample, I mean everything):
First Kurt Tarpley said this in the Localist-
The Reds, Economy of Motion, Max Recordings, Little Rock, AR
First there was Johnny Mac. The head-shaven bespectacled songwriter performed solo quite often for several years before finally putting out a four-song EP, Four Songs EP (it boasted the superb "Numbers," which can still be heard on the band's MySpace site). Although he was the only musician featured on the album, he released the EP under the moniker, Johnny Mac and the Reds. Soon after, he assembled a full band to recreate the songs on the album in a live setting. After a half-dozen various lineups, Graham Cobb appears to be a permanent fixture on guitar and Jason Thompson handles the percussion. Now they go by simply, The Reds. But Johnny Mac is still their bassist/singer.
Now that we've cleared all of that up, you should know that The Reds have released their first full-length on Max Recordings, entitled Economy of Motion. It's a fun, three-chord garage-pop romp that is guaranteed to make you shimmy. The simple, infectious, bass-driven hooks and playful vocal harmonies that at first seem routine sound smarter with every listen. The first song that sticks out is the contagiously cool "Summer," with its la la la's that truly evoke images of youth unrestrained and unrepentant, living it up in the sun. One listen, and this song (if you somehow manage to not listen to it again) will not leave your head.
"When I Was Around You" instantly grabs your attention, moseying through the verses with a bouncy bass line reminiscent of the Clash with its choppy guitar riffs. The lyrics are a remembrance of simpler times now gone, when a close friend was all that mattered. "When I was around you/we'd shout the words until we couldn't breathe/we'd sing it straight up until they made us leave," Mac sings. The song finishes with a light accordion thrown smartly into the mix.
A true pleaser is the album's centerpiece, "Red Martians!" from which the album's title is lifted (a la the Pixies, their MySpace page boasts). Like many great rock-n-roll songs, it's about the joy of playing rock-n-roll songs, neighbors and cops be damned. Along with the ebullient "Will It All Come True?" and "The Sliding Glass Door," this ten-song outing is a must-have for fans of light-hearted rhythm rock. I mean, who isn't? KT
Awesome. Then Lindsey Millar said this in the Arkansas Times-
Three or four years ago, no one performed more often than Johnny Mac. Imminently recognizable, with a shaved head and dark-framed glasses, the singer/songwriter always played alone, singing pop-rock songs with hooks that lodged themselves deep in the recesses of your brain. ("Fine Lines," Mac's go-to track back in the day and an early 45 single on Max Recordings, is still, happily, stuck deep in mine today.) Lately, Mac's taken to leading a band, first as Johnny Mac and the Reds and now, simply, the Reds ("Not like communists. Like colors," their MySpace page says). After a long stretch of inactivity, the Reds reemerge to celebrate the release of their album, "Economy of Motion," from Max Recordings. It's a charming debut with hints of Cars-y new-wave and bubblegum. Handclaps and nonsense chants factor into just about every hook, from routine "na-na-na-nas" to an awesome sound somewhere between a retch and a kung-fu call. The album's best track, "Summer," can't square anticipatory visions of summer with the reality ("it's all wrong," goes the sweeping chorus); it's got just the right amount of pop and conflict to be the summer jam that carries you into the fall.
Lindsey Millar - Arkansas Times
Awesome again. Then Kurt read Lindsey's review and wrote this letter to the Arkansas Times-
Correction
I have never been a fan of Lindsey Millar's writing, simply because every time I read one of her [sic] reviews I get the distinct feeling that she has no idea what she's talking about. She draws comparisons from the band she's covering to bands that bear no resemblance to the artist in question whatsoever. Her review of "The Economy of Motion" by the Reds is a perfect example. After giving a brief description of her favorite songs on the album, she writes, "there are hints of Spoons here."
Spoons? I would consider myself pretty well versed in pop music, and I have never heard of a band named Spoons. I am, however, a huge fan of the brilliant rock outfit Spoon, out of Austin, Texas. Not only did Ms. Miller misspell the band's name, but not a single track on "The Economy of Motion" sounds anything like any Spoon song I've heard on any of their six LPs or three EPs. I should know. I reviewed The Reds' CD for the Localist.
Kurt Tarpley
Little Rock
Gotta love it. Finally, Werner Trieschmann wrote this in the Democrat-Gazette-
My apologies for taking forever to listen to The Reds' Economy of Motion (Max Recordings). The Reds are a Little Rock trio and the CD, which was released several months ago, got buried on my desk. It shouldn't happen but it does.
While it is easy to classify Smoke Up Johnny, The Reds are a different matter altogether. The sound is guitar/bass/drums and it is built on rhythm with a limited number of solos. The Reds recall lots of older New Wave bands from Gang of Four to Devo but then they wriggle ffree of those comparisons. Lead singer Johnny Mac has a high yelp - he can stretch it out on sweet songs such as "Summer" - that is serviceable but not spectacular. When he is in high gear, you can't always understand what he is singing about.
Yet most of Economy of Motion knocks you flat. "Emino" bounces along and then an ominous guitar line introduces itself and sinks its hooks into you. "Red Martians!" is a slower tune but a simple tambourine is isolated and pushes the track forward. Handclaps decorate "Eddie Leatherwood."
There's is an intimate feel to The Reds CD and it seems likely these songs were recorded live and pushed on a CD. The record comes across as warm and homemade even if that in no way describes what The Reds sound like. It is too bad it got lost on my desk because it doesn't deserve to be lost in the shuffle. One feels confident that whoever finds Economy of Motion will embrace it.
Thanks, Werner. Kurt, please send any and all comments to Werner Trieschmann c/o Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. So far no bad reviews. Most likely because there haven't been any national or regional reviews. The locals tend to be nicer.