Most bands that stick around for 45 years commemorate the milestone by reissuing a foundational record or two, perhaps with a coinciding tour and agreeing to a few interviews along the way. Hawthorne, CA’s finest Redd Kross celebrate the achievement by releasing a double album of new material. It’s an eponymous set, available now through In the Red Records, and it’s the second of three momentous offerings following the documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story from last year. The band biography Now You’re One of Us: The Incredible Story of Redd Kross is due this autumn. Redd Kross captures a band that’s not only still active, but wholly relevant.
It’s by now no secret that Redd Kross took inspiration for the recording of their latest from The Beatles, the ninth studio album by the iconic band released in 1968, and their sole 2LP set. Comparing the two album covers makes the connection clear. I’m unsure if it’s cool to start calling Redd Kross’ latest The Redd Album, but here’s hoping.
Through their 45 years, Redd Kross has went through many changes with the McDonald Brothers Jeff and Steven as the constant core. But they are also defined by the roads not taken: they didn’t go hardcore (Steven did play in the spoof hardcore band Anarchy 6 and much more recently in the non-joke HC act OFF!) or metal (while loving KISS) or noise (after the big indie rock breakthrough), and when the door to the 1990s rock mainstream opened, they turned the retro glam dial up. Way up. While on tour opening for Sonic Youth.
The ties to The Beatles are natural. The Beatles is reportedly Jeff’s first album purchase, but the influence can be detected in the irreverent late ’80s Redd Kross side band Tater Totz, which had a predilection for Beatles (and Yoko) covers, plus nods to the Stones, Badfinger, and Os Mutantes. But the Beatles linkage really comes down to how Redd Kross has been consistently catchy across 45 years, even at their most punked up.
And even as “Candy Coloured Catastrophe” opens the album with some clean acoustic strum, the cut wastes no time in raising the punk intensity. “Stunt Queen” follows, strutting around like a bunch of Nuggets disciples on performance enhancing drugs and with some glammy sand in the gears. “Main Attraction” shifts into ’70s power pop and as the song ramps up and crescendos, sounds just a hair like Guided by Voices.
“Canción Enojada” has a few hints of ’60s garage (think Knickerbockers), but it rips like late ’70s Cali punk with contemporary verve. “Good Time Propaganda Band” is a surprisingly ’60s psych-pop offering until it kicks into high gear at the end. “What’s In It For You?” is power pop with piledriving fist-pumping choruses. And then “I’ll Take Your Word For It” rolls in, sounding even more Robert Pollard-like. It’s a total gem.
From there, “Terrible Band” dishes more power-pop infused energy with a punk edge. “Stuff” gives the same injection to a ’60s-shaded tune that could’ve easily been delivered as sunshine pop. “Back of the Cave” takes a wild left turn, sounding a bit like XTC on those aforementioned steroids. “Too Good to be True” is a strong dose of the anthemic, and the raw melodicism of “Way too Happy” includes a couple cool flashes of ELO.
As “Simple Magic” explodes forth and raves on, it’s clear Redd Kross is a finely tuned engine, even as solo artist and ex-Red Hot Chili Pepper Josh Klinghoffer steps in on drums for a recuperating Dale Crover (Klinghoffer also produced). Jason Shapiro completes the band. At its start, “The Witches Stand” gives ’60s psych-pop a ’70s spin and then throws down a little arena-suitable power pop pound.
“Lay Down and Die” is one of the few Redd Kross numbers with a decided ’90s bent; it flows into the galvanic stomper “The Shaman’s Disappearing Robe” (one more for the GBV fans), and “Emmanuelle Insane” reaches back to the McDonalds’ early days (more appropriately, early nights licking their lips watching saucy flicks on the Z Channel) by inverting “Annette’s Got the Hits” and throwing in some synthetic sitar.
“Born Innocent” nabs the title from the band’s debut album and closes this tidy 2LP with panache. Redd Kross has again beaten the odds with this new record, its intensity and well-honed range making clear it’s far more about resolve than luck.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A-
