As an up-and-coming band, the combination of ambition and the fear of failure can lead to a frustrated mindset. That’s how Red Vanilla felt when writing their second EP, ‘Where I Should Be’. Since forming in 2022, the Scottish alt-rockers have been honing their tightly wound sound, receiving praise from several tastemakers along the way.
‘Where I Should Be’ sees them expand their sound. While there are moments such as ‘Hazy’ and ‘I Thought I Had It’ that exemplify Red Vanilla‘s hunger and urgency, there is variation across its seven tracks. The floaty verses on ‘Electric Blue’ segue to a stirring chorus with wide guitars. It’s underpinned by a gritty rhythm section and Anna Forsyth’s optimistic repetition of “I know it gets better”. The harmonious ‘Sunkissed Pools’ instrumentally twinkles, allowing Forsyth’s powerhouse vocals to shine. ‘Play Me Something New’ takes a similar balladic route. Whereas the EP closer, ‘Oh No, I Got Older,’ highlights the diaristic (yet relatable) theme of the EP. Throughout, Forsyth explores her purpose, the band’s ambitions, and the concept of time passing by with nothing to show. However, she and guitarist George Weller should shred their doubts as ‘Where I Should Be’ is a solid outing for the rising duo.
While many Scots consider Glasgow or Edinburgh to be the country’s cultural heartbeat, for Red Vanilla, their foundations lie in Dundee. Labelled as one of the UK’s most underrated cities, Dundee’s roots are built on three industries: jute, jam and journalism. Jute, a natural plant fibre used for sacking and rope, made the city a global manufacturing hub in the 1800s. Marmalade jam was reportedly invented there in the late 18th century. While the journalism factor comes from DC Thomson, the publisher behind classic British comics ‘The Beano’ and ‘The Dandy’. In recent times, Dundee became the UK’s first City of Design in 2014, with the V&A Dundee, a design museum, opening up four years later.
Perhaps it’s the city’s underdog spirit that makes its music scene feel distinctly its own. Dundee has never produced a conveyor belt of household names in the way Glasgow or Edinburgh has, but what it has produced carries weight. Somewhat surprisingly, its biggest musical export is ‘Pick Up The Pieces,’ the funk classic by Average White Band. Meanwhile, 2000s indie landfill band, The View, are one of the very few names to emerge from Dundee. Red Vanilla is looking to buck that trend, and with Where I Should Be’ part of their arsenal, they have potential breakout.
Frontwoman Anna Forsyth was more than happy to offer some words on why Dundee is underrated. Red Vanilla‘s vocalist and rhythm guitarist discusses how the city never disappoints her, to the point she recently wrote a song about missing Dundee while visiting friends in London. Anna also commented on its music scene, the influence of defunct metallers To Kill Achilles, and the band’s go-to venue.
What city are you from, and what makes you proudest to be from there?
We’re from Dundee. I feel most proud to be from here because it just never lets me down. I think people’s opinions on the city vastly differ based on their own experience there – to be honest, there’s not overly much going on in the city itself, so if you wanna love Dundee life, you’ve gotta build a good social circle and have a purpose there, I think. I met George here to start the band when I was 17, and that’s when I really fell in love with the place. Six years later, the friends and memories we’ve made here are irreplaceable – it just feels like home.
I think a character trait that creates in like-minded people is gratitude for the simple things, and the ability to see your side of the grass as greener, without comparison or constantly wondering if there’s anything better you could be chasing. The thought of moving elsewhere makes me feel a bit lost – of course, I want to travel and see the world (hopefully through opportunities in the band), but whenever I’m here, I just have a very profound sense of belonging – which can be rare, and is something to really hold on to.
What influence has that had on the city’s music scene and the types of bands it produces?
I think that attitude flows into the music scene because so many people here demonstrate a sense of pride to be known as a Dundee band. We’re very vocal about where we’re from, where our roots are tied, and always carrying a piece of home with us wherever we go. We just wanna have fun – it’s never a local gig without a big night out to follow, and the mentality of ‘we’re in this together, and we’re in it to have a good time’.
The View, of course have influenced a lot of Dundee bands, and I reckon they’re a pretty solid example of just be yourself, do what you can, have a laugh with it, and you’ll attract so many positive opportunities because of that.
Are there particular genres your hometown is most associated with?
There’s a big indie scene here (again, The View have mostly motivated this), but in general it’s a pretty mixed bag. We have local metal fests, then there’s a number of solo pop artists, and bands like us that are founded on alt-rock. I wouldn’t say as a city we’re ’known’ for a particular sound, but I like that. It’s a free-for-all!
To you, what are the best or most well-known bands the city has produced, and how do you feel about those bands?
George and I love a metal band called To Kill Achilles. They’re sadly not an active band anymore, but they still inspire us constantly. Our producer, Kieran Smith, was their drummer, so his band and influence are still a very relevant part of Red Vanilla. Their vocalist, Mark Tindal, also plays bass on our records now, too – so big love to them for what they were, and still are. They’ve toured all over the world, and made it happen for themselves starting from the bottom and staying the course – that kind of inspiration is exactly what we need, and gives us so much hope for our own future as a band.
What local up-and-coming bands should we be listening to?
Katie Nicoll! But don’t think she will be for long… She’s a solo pop artist, and there’s no Dundee musician I can think of who works harder and dedicates herself to her work more than she does. Her music speaks for itself, and her attitude speaks as loud. Katie runs music events in Dundee on the regular – they’re always so inclusive, and create a real sense of community. She deserves to go far, and definitely will.
What venues in the city have your band played most often, and how have they helped to shape your band?
Our go-to venue in Dundee is Beat Generator. We played our first headliner show there a few years back, and it’s still one of the coolest things we’ve ever done. We’ve had a bunch of gigs there since then, and they’re always so much fun. It’s great having friends and family supporting us at local shows – just makes it feel like a social event as well as a gig. These local hometown shows shaped us because they’re where we learned to play live – where all the mistakes happened, and the messy shows that we look back and laugh at now. They’re all part of our story, and we’ll always feel nostalgic for shows in these early years.
If you were to write/if you have written a song about where you’re from, what would the tone and message of the song be?
I actually very recently wrote a song about Dundee – I was on a trip to London because I’d been invited to an album launch show in Soho. I had the best time there, met so many cool musicians, and then stayed with a friend for a couple of nights after. But the whole time I just kept thinking about whenever I’m away from home, I realise how much I miss it. I missed my friends and the familiarity, and ended up writing the most sentimental, wholesome set of lyrics I’ve ever written. Musically, I know what I want it to sound like, and we haven’t started working on that yet, but I already can’t wait for it to be a full song and for people to hear it. Its working title is ‘The Dee,’ so you’ll know what you’re in for whenever that appears on a future release!
‘Where I Should Be’ EP by Red Vanilla is released on May 8th on Assai Records (vinyl available here).
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