Singles

Theoretical Girl - Red Mist.

Paul Deacon 01/11/2006

Rating: 4/5

What's this that's arrived through my door eh? A press release, with a CD from Half Machine Records. Well what is it? It's the 2nd single from Theoretical Girl, how intriguing, I thought.
As I made my way through the press release I learned that she's a one girl band on a mission, on her own! I figured she must be some sort of riot grrrrl, angry no doubt, turns out she is a self confessed control freak who hates chords and solo's, me too, how apt!

Upon listening what really strikes you is the simplicity of it all the basic one finger notes on both the guitars and keys are childlike and adorable in their charm, within the first minute you are singing along “this red mist.” Her vocals have the ability to haunt you, yet at the same time have a powerful comforting nature about them that draws you in. The guitar riff after the first chorus reminds me of Interpol: we are liking this very much. The splendor of RED MIST is that everything is just right, the drums don't sound programmed, the vocals come in and end in the precise moment adding freedom and space to the song, the instrumentation doesn't go on for an unnecessary amount of time, she has got the balance perfectly right.

This formula carries over on to the B-Side DANCEHALL DECEIT. I wanted to hear much of the same and luckily I did, an addictive guitar riff, a sugary chorus to die for, I started to feel hypnotised “It's so confusing” yes it is I fully agree, how can something so basic be this good? I don't know the answer: sorry. What I do know, is that Theoretical Girl makes the whole process of making music sound ridiculously easy: something which is an undeniably difficult thing to achieve on your 2nd single. A marvelous effort it has too be said. Go buy it.


Release date: 13th November.

www.myspace.com/iamtheoreticalgirl