Red Dons are a band I’ve meant to check out for some time. As a reviewer, perhaps I’m supposed to go check out the whole back catalog, but I often find it equally useful to approach a band tabula rasa, as that gives a better view of where this specific record is at. Past accomplishments, be damned, it’s the A Vote For the Unknown b/w This City 7” that I’m reviewing here, not the band as a whole. All that said, this record, namely the A-side, features heavy involvement from TV Smith (Adverts), so it may not even sound like the rest of their output. I’ll determine that later, as this 7” is a good one and it’s got my interest in the band more piqued than ever.
While I expected something a little more deviant and adventurous in structure and style, A Vote For the Unknown is lodged somewhere in post-’77 punk, right in that era where the aggression was subdued and subtle while the music was confrontational and arty. That’s arty, not art-punk, which is a whole extra layer. Here, the songs follow familiar formats with enough weirdness to keep it interesting. In A-side “A Vote for the Unknown,” the lyrics and music convey the emotion and drama equally, and those two adjectives are the ones that carry this 2-song release. It’s tonal and a bit spacey, with a pop-forward notion that’s delivered via the drums. Meanwhile, there are some nice bass leads that pull the songs along without getting droney—which is a big thing for this 7”, as the vocals on both songs are rather monotone and atmospheric, more dreary than boisterous. It works well on the short-play release, though it’s hard to say if that tone can keep interest over something longer.
The fact that the record is a classic “b/w” title is fitting. The structures and styles are well-defined and time-tested. The content as the record spins, however, is new, sometimes challenging, and embracing. It’s music that’s hard to finger exactly why it hits, but it does so. Check it out.
