Blood
Antique Beat, 2021
8/10
The very unique London outfit The Real Tuesday Weld are entering the end of their career, and it comes with a set of 3 albums that illustrates their vintage-pop meets modern electronic ideas that are never short on haunting moments, swing nods and dark romanticism.
“Blood Knuckled And Dusted” starts the listen with a dark cabaret feel as mysterious vocals from Oriana Curls flow alongside calm percussion and an eerie backdrop, and “Too Much Too Soon” follows with a club friendly climate that welcomes a warm beat amid playful electro-pop.
“What Happens Next?” lands in the middle and emits deep vocals and storytelling alongside warm piano and a lounge jazz feel, while “Promises Promises” injects strategic clarinet into a very stylish and nostalgic landscape that benefits from Josephine Lloyd-Wilson’s pipes. “The Floating Man”, one of the album’s best, then brings much grace and poetic singing to the bare but impactful execution of reflective keys and strong attention to mood.
Close to the end, “Skeletons In Waiting” lands in dreamy territory, though not in the traditional sense, and “Killers” exits the listen with AM radio crackling that segues into dance worthy beats that also seems like it could soundtrack a haunted house.
Part trip-hop, part cabaret rock and part retro-jazz, Steven Coates has been the driving force behind the band since its inception over 20 years ago, and much like everything in their catalog, Blood defies easy categorization, but makes a lasting impression with its atypical textures and emphasis on sounds from many decades ago.
Travels well with: DeVotchKa- This Night Falls Forever; Rogue Wave- Nightingale Floors