NME (Tracks, p37. 27 May 2006)

Call them the Brighton White Stripes at your peril

Brightons Blood Red Shoes might well be a boy/girl two-piecewith a colourin their name, but dont expectany of that minimalist retro-garage blues racket round here. Their third single for microlabel Try Harder is instead a white knuckle mix of electric shock guitars and falling-down-a-hill drumming that owes a debt to the glorious golden age of riot grrrl - a time deep in the mists of the 1990s when, for about two weeks, rock took an oestrogen overdose and got a Kill Bill-style girlieass-whupping (until Nina from The Cardigans came along and ruined it by looking fluffy). Its limited to 1,000 copies on hand-numbered vinyl and weve already got one, so youd better move quick.

- PL

musicOMH.com (http://www.musicomh.com/singles6/blood-red-shoes-2_0506.htm)

Having already won us over a little while ago with their wonderfully frenetic Stitch Me Back, Blood Red Shoes make a welcome return with A.D.H.D.

Just as before, this is a storming charge through threadbare punk territory. The minimal instrumentation of the band is pushed to breaking point as spiky guitar turns to sheet metal blur and drums hammer unremittingly to form a haze of aggression. Meanwhile Laura-Mary Carter is at pains to stress that she just can't concentrate. She's so distracted in fact, that the frustration becomes evident in her vocals, her voice changing from angelic to satanic over the course of the song. A.D.H.D. is every bit as twitchy and raw as the title suggests, it's full of energy, and unlike the medical condition, this form of A.D.H.D. seems to have further sharpened the focus of the band.

The more I hear from Blood Red Shoes, the more I become convinced that they are the best UK band I have heard this year. It is practically impossible to not fall in love with their simplistically wired, and blatantly catchy tunes. For further evidence check out the b-side Can't Find The Door. It's the aural equivalent of BRS taking The Young Knives for a spin in a Hillman Imp to the nearest tweed shop, before roaring over a cliff in a new wave, herring bone, suicide pact. A marvellous bloody, pop punk death frenzy.

- Sam Shepherd

drownedinsound.com (http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/836265)

Im so / Im so Distracted / Cant concentrate on anything at all sing the terminally twitching youths, fed on a culture of short attention spans and attention-seeking behaviour. But you, audience, how could you not concentrate on this?

Just two persons plus their respective instruments; four elements engaged in a serious playground tussle. The guitar is a bully, all sharks-teeth points with serrated edges, pointing fingers and knocking half-serious punches at its victim. Drums are vying to be noticed, all high speed clatter and hi-hat acrobatics. Over the top of this commotion, Laura-Mary, in the style of a snotty nosed brat, taunting Now now now now boy; Steven playing the role of wiry-limbed misaligned youth, Giving myself a heart attack.

They are perfectly within their rights to sound this arrogant even with just the few repeated over-and-over lyrics, this is one of the brashest and best singles of two-zero-zero-six thus far.

9/10

- Rachel C

gigwise.com (http://www.gigwise.com/contents.asp?contentid=17040)

Following on from their two sold out singles, Blood Red Shoes continue their onslaught of the ears with next track, A.D.H.D. Although only consisting of two members, they have managed to create a plethora of noise that hits unforgiving blows to the tender ears of whoever can hear it. However, its not just about the noise, its catchy chorus of Im so, Im so distracted will have you chiming along way after the track is over. The next song, Cant Find The Door is another round of brutally thunderous molestation, that you cant help but enjoy. Tinnitus anyone?

4/5

- James Brand

lostmusic.com (http://lostmusic.co.uk/article.php?story=20060506141949228)

The third release from Blood Red Shoes again on Try Harder label. The band have been picking up more and more radio interest of late. I can hear why.

This two track single is a really splendid little thing. Explosive guitars and edgy rythyms kick off all over the lead track 'A.D.H.D.' It really is fine piece of rock n roll. Like a more lo-fi, and dare I say it, better version of The Yeah Yeah Yeah's.

The band want to be either Spanish or French. Lord knows why. As they seem to be aiming straight at my British heart with their firebrand american tinged guitar stomps.

'Can't Find The Door' (available as a download from the bands website) is just as good as the lead track. If anything the guitars are more in your face. Louder. And somehow more disjointed. Blood Red Shoes are making the sort of noise that gets me smiling all over. Top quality rock'n'roll. The band will be on tour soon. I will try and make one of their London gigs to see whether this two piece can generate this much noise on a stage!

- tmc

manchestermusic.co.uk (http://www.music-dash.co.uk/releases/release.asp?item=3103)

The Blood Red Shoes duo of Laura-Mary and Steven hail from Brighton and whilst a hot bed of alternative talent, Blood Red Shoes cobble together something quite different. Laura-Mary belts out the raucous vocals just as if shes fronting X-Ray Spex and theres a raw post punk feel to both tracks. A.D.H.D. is a broken collection of guitar stabs and fractured arrangements with Cant Find The Door exposing a strong post-rock approach with plenty of off the wall chords, big sweeping crescendos played out on single guitar strings, all bolstered by grinding riffs and heavier rock musings. Its a collision of styles that shoehorns the fashionable, angry yelps into the frame of rock music, thats just the right side of gargantuan.

4/5

- JR

new-noise.net (http://www.new-noise.net/us_305.html)

The White Stripes, odious though they be, have left us one legacy of note. No, not The Raconteurs you dolt; the concept of leaving the out the bass. This idea has been picked up by loads of these trendy bands, and the result is very good, especially as most of them know better than to fuck around with the blues. Blood Red Shoes are one such collective, and they make this great, shouty girlpunk racket. Its indier than a barrel of Lamacqs and twice as nice, at least.

- Tom Mendelsohn

playlouder.com (http://www.playlouder.com/feature/+bunch-of-45s-43/)

In the continuing absence of a new Kaito album, Blood Red Shoes are yet another band who sound as if they've been heftily influenced by Norwich's finest. This is all dissonant stabs of guitar, boy / girl vocals, and an ooo ah ooo lo-fi chorus with a load of yelps over the top. A very good fizzy guitar pop song then, as befits a ditty called 'A.D.H.D.' and an anxiously refrain of "I'm so I'm so distracted", and certainly a lot more preferable to the execrable Help She Can't Swim, but given that Kaito effectively recorded this song four years ago, it'd be nice to hear things moved on a bit.

"This looks pretty home made. It's the kind of thing I can acknowlege as kind of fun, but it's totally not my thing, the screaming and yelling lyrics, I'm more into melodies. This is a little too... I like the cover, though. And the coffee stain on the back."

I think that's mine.

"What do you call this kind of thing? I hear a lot of bands like this, but what do you call it? The Yelling Thing? I feel bad because I know a lot of people I know would really like this. It's not a judgement on them or anything. What's the next one?"

- Luke Turner

subba-cultcha.com (http://www.subba-cultcha.com/singles_may.php)

wired, femme-fronted dance rock featuring ex-cat on form and lady muck members - a great tune, even if you do get the feeling youve heard it all before somewhere

- Jeremy Chick

glasswerk.co.uk (http://www.glasswerk.co.uk/index2.php?db=southcoast&page=reviews,review&id=3067)

I first saw Blood Red Shoes at Club Motherfucker, drunk. We were standing at the back. Someone from The Mighty Boosh was presenting the bands - the atmosphere was fantastic. In true fashion, we tried to ignore Blood Red Shoes because they were the support act and wed come to see Pink Riot anyway. As soon as they walked onstage they grasped our attention; they grasped everyones attention.

Blood Red Shoes are a two-piece. Bands that come to mind are a stronger style of Long Blondes with The Subways deliciously British accented vocal style, reminding of the classical days of the art of the groupie, namely mod groupies. Emphasis here is on the word style; the pair photograph as well as they sound.

In A-side A.D.H.D., the drum-guitar/boy-girl-vocals combinations work harmoniously; they go places together. B-side Cant Find The Door recalls Kings of Leon briefly, but keeps the thematic edge.

free-magazine.co.uk

Blood Red Shoes are shocking. They are the Marmite of music. You can only love something after you have tried it at least once, and then tried it again if you didn't like it (just to be sure). AHDH is a masterpiece of addictive nu-punk; a tribute to stripped, drug fuelled ingenuity, as are the band themselves.

They remind of a pop Pure Reason Revolution, in that there is more coherency and chorus repetition. Blood Red Shoes are however, on something a little more addictive.

The song conjures the essence of your cravings, levitating it from the safely distanced memory of old, back into the front of your head. The suggestion of marching troops is drawn from the angered, yet harmonious strikes on the guitar. It grabs you hard; the muscular female vocals undermine their boyish backing.

- Victoria McNaught-Davis

highvoltage.org.uk (http://www.highvoltage.org.uk/displaydemoreview.asp?num=1264&band=1076)

ADHD is the third single from Brighton duo Blood Red Shoes, a fitting title to a song that bounds about like a tearaway child deprived of Ritalin. Following in the genre crunching tradition of the mighty Test-Icicles, they draw upon a range of influences, fusing them together seemingly effortlessly to create a stripped down record that sounds both fresh and vital.

They are perhaps the most entertaining two piece to offer up their musical styling since Mulligan and OHare, with songs you can really dance to. If A.D.H.D were a film itd be the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (think killer hooks, lots of screaming etc), an instantly likeable number from a group I doubt you have heard the last of.

Whoever said ADHD was a bad thing was probably a loony, or a doctor or somethingand what would they know? Stay off the meds guys.

4/5

- John Lilburne

mapsmagazine.co.uk (http://www.mapsmagazine.co.uk/bloodredshoes.htm)

Gosh! Dont you just love this hYpeRActiVe kids on blue Smarties power-pop punk? In a week that sees Nestle reveal they are to withdraw Blue Smarties as they cannot find a natural colouring alternative that doesnt induce hyperactivity in the kids, this cut of aceness from Brightons Blood Red Shoes is another
assertive guitar and percussion only rip through the gut of conventionality and the belly of all things bland. Given the title, A.D.H.D, you get what you expect. Frantic spiky guitar hooks crashing through a wash of cymbals and the girliest of girl vocals come the breakdown: Im so, i'm so distracted. Unlike the
disorder, this is a cohesive effort that holds together and secures the attention of all those who are suckers for Be Your Own Pet/ Bearsuit chunks of infectious brilliance.

- James Ainsworth

noreally.co.uk (http://noreally.co.uk/opinions/singles/bloodredshoes-adhd.htm)

So far from the Brighton two piece we've had skyscraping DIY grunge, metallic garage rock riot sounds and crashing, noisy country and western lullabyes to falling buildings. All from within a seemingly tight framework of interplaying boy girl vocals, a heavily struck drumkit and repetitive, punishing guitar riffs. Now, with ADHD, the duo offer up yet another take on their stormtrooping signature sound. Stabbing and angular, it's like all those pretty art wave poster bands grew facial hair and got blood on their fingers. A band that show no signs of disappointing with another excellent single.

in one line, intricate, tight and crafty while being bombastic and infectious, their dad is definitely bigger than your dad.

cdtimes.co.uk (http://www.cdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=3080)

There is a scientific theory that states if you played all the copies of A.D.H.D. - and there are 1000 - at the same time in a small village in southern Ecuador at even just the middle volume level on an average hi fi it would prompt EVERYONE over 40 in Kent to spontaneously write a letter of complaint to their council.

A.D.H.D. is yet another antidote to banality from Brighton's premier riot duo. More angular than previous releases this is still a juggernaut of taunt musicianship, relentless drumming and merciless piledriver riffs. It's honest and unavoidable like the bloody nose on the front of your face and another example of why Blood Red Shoes are fast becoming one of the more essential and standout of the rafts and rafts of new bands on new labels cropping up week in week out in the UK.

At the right volume you could burst an irritating neighbour's eardrum from your bedroom with this. At this rate, by the time they get 'round to an album Blood Red Shoes will be just about ready for WMD status. Lite the fuse.