Wakefield’s Runaround Kids are set to release ‘Teeth Blue, Lips Red,’ a compilation of the singles that they have released over the past year with the inclusion of two brand new tracks. Having had a fruitful year as a band, Runaround Kids have extensively toured in succession of their releases and have also been featured on a number of radio stations, including BBC Introducing.
The band’s indie rock vibe is welcomed straight away with opening single ‘You’d Feel The Same’ with the trio producing a very British sound. A combination of sung and deeper, spoken vocals compliment the track along with the calm, mid-paced rhythm and percussion. There is a fear of repetition in areas and the track occasionally lacks in substance; however there are areas to be praised including an up-tempo, foreground rhythm section combined with whispered vocals which works in the trio’s favour.
<a href=“http://runaroundkids.bandcamp.com/album/teeth-blue-lips-red” data-mce-href=“http://runaroundkids.bandcamp.com/album/teeth-blue-lips-red”>Teeth Blue, Lips Red by Runaround Kids</a>
Now third track in and the continuation of the “cigarette-related” lyrics from ‘You’d Feel The Same’ along with a repeated song structure begins to grate on me. ‘Drinking History’ improves slightly but this mid-tempo does nothing for me, with little sign of any significant increase in energy. The only part of this track that I’m enjoying is the strained, almost screamed vocals that feature in sections adding some well needed texture.
New track ‘Blush’ is a better offering and there appears to be a maturity in the trio’s writing ability. The track features much more up-tempo rhythms, providing a surge of energy to the release and giving me hope that Runaround Kids’ new sound is much more promising than previous efforts. Closing the record and also another new track is ‘I Want to Fall in Love Again’ which slows ‘Teeth Blue, Lips Red’ back down to the mid-pace that has been present in the majority of the record; however there is the odd hook that surprises me. This is ruined by the unnecessary distortion that features in the final minute of the track, making it near impossible to hear the executed riffs that close the record.
Maybe I was the wrong person to review this, but I just can’t grasp ‘Teeth Blue, Lips Red’ and for me there is a lack of substance and too much repetition in its song structure. I will give it to the trio: they must be doing something right if they have been featured on radio stations and the like, so if you love alternative indie rock then Runaround Kids are the band for you; if not then I wouldn’t bother with this release.
2.5/5
‘Teeth Blue, Lips Red’ by Runaround Kids is out Monday 10th December on Philophobia Music.
Runaround Kids links: Facebook|Twitter|Bandcamp|Website
Words by Hannah Gillicker (@HannahGillicker)
