The Ballad of Blondie is a fascinating single, a song which gently spins through flavours and emotions whilst creating one thoroughly rousing and thrilling proposition. Bred by the inventive craft of UK acoustic rock band Red Rose Empire, and taken from their recently released album You’ve got Red on you, the single grips ears and imagination with cinematic vivacity and emotional intimacy to provide an intensely provocative persuasion.
Hailing from London, the trio of vocalist/acoustic guitarist Paul Claxton, bassist Rick Keating, and drummer Paul Rowland has drawn strong attention and praise through You’ve got Red on you and it is easy to see why if it matches the potent incitement of The Ballad of Blondie. The song opens with a swing of folkish revelry, guitar and bass uniting for a smiling intro framed by firm rhythms. The lively opening then relaxes into a gentle caress with Claxton providing an emotive croon, vocally and with strings, which is aligned to the hazy charm of the bass and shuffling beats. There is a drama to the change though, especially in the vocals, which ebbs and flows before erupting in the blaze of the chorus. Chords twang and vocals soar as a sultry climate bursts over the narrative before the song returns to its more peaceful suasion, though again it is just the coaxing prelude to another fiery breath of sound and passion.
The song continues to drift and roar as the landscape of its evocative theme continues providing a riveting adventure. Warm yet haunted, the song is a masterful and thrilling proposition which not only seduces for itself but sparks the want to check out the album it comes from. If Ballad of Blondie epitomises the potential and invention of Red Rose Empire then they have a very healthy and successful horizon ahead of them.
Ballad of Blondie is available now @ http://redroseempire.bandcamp.com/track/the-ballad-of-blondie
https://www.facebook.com/redroseempire
9/10
RingMaster 02/09/2014
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