The Red Velvetines

Northern Irish four-piece The Red Velvetines are a fun band to see live, combining skilful performance levels with sultry vocals and at times frantic drum/guitar solos.

This band draw you in to their performances and hold you there too, which many of their peers find difficult to do.

Of course watching a band play live compared to their CD can be somewhat different, fortunately The Red Velvetines have that sorted.

This three track CD is a perfect encapsulation of those live shows and certainly adds to the experience.

Over the course of the CD we get to hear a broad spectrum of the bands influences, there is an undeniable blues rock feel that flows throughout.

Front woman Claire Martin’s vocals are superb in each, tackling each with aplomb and gusto.

Opening track ‘Bang Bang’ is a fun effort with some exciting guitar riffs, escalating vocals and powerful rhythm sections.

The Provocateur is indeed a provocative little number that works well as the middle section of the CD, things finishing off wonderfully with the ballad like When You Throw Your Heart Away.

This is a CD that through its three tracks highlights The Red Velvetines broad range of music styles, capabilities, range and creativity.

This is a band that have no definitive pigeon hole to slot into, they can musically align themselves where they wish and vocalist Claire can adapt to suit each.

With a spot on the new Epic Belfast CD Compilation (due for US distribution) this prize-winning band are set for big things in 20122 and beyond.
facebook.com/theredvelvetines - Phil Allely (Fame Magazine)

The Red Velvetines follow that with aplomb. Their sound is big and rich, grungy, soulful stoner blues played with energy, enthusiasm and style. Understandably, most (male) eyes are on sexy frontwoman Claire, who also possesses a fantastic voice, and keeps the set moving along nicely with her non-stop movement. Highlights of their set include ‘measure Of The Times’, with its pumping bass rhythm and tight, joyous hooky riffs, and the punky, metallic finish of ‘Bang Bang’. This is a young band with a bright future: great musicianship, brilliant songs and a sexy singer – almost all the perfect ingredients. - Midnight Mixtape

Hailing from the northern half of Northern Ireland, this dynamic young quartet demonstrates a maturity and musical knowledge well beyond their years. Their roughed up, distorted, dirty blues ploughs a furrow that can be traced back to the late Sixties blues revival – and even further back to the rawness of southern blues – in much the same way as the likes of Band Of Skulls and Blood Red Shoes.

Indeed, the Velvetines share a common bond with both of the aforementioned, in the fact that they have a female vocalist. There’s also a strong feeling emanating through their music which draws upon two other acts with strong female members – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The White Stripes. Add in massive dollops of Thin Lizzy, Primal Scream, Queens Of The Stone Age (and, to a lesser extent Kyuss), The Answer and St Jude and you come close to an approximation of the acerbic, acidic, eclectic, electric and intense funk-filled blues sound which the Velvetines produce.

This second, self-released three track kicks off with ‘Get Down’, which rolls out of the speakers with a funky bass riff from Uel Taylor, the main beat of which is picked up by drummer Corkie McCorkell and then Mark Blair’s bruising but understated guitar line. But, it’s when the vocals kick in that the song is really elevated to the next level: Claire McCorkell (yes, she married the drummer!) has the soul and passion of Janice Joplin, combined with the fragility of Stevie Nicks and the power of Ann Wilson or Fergie… she really has that great a voice!

‘Tell Me Sister’ is more laidback and bluesy, but with a bitter edge, while ‘Ninety Nine Times’ is darker and grittier, based on a riff that feels like it has been dragged through a swamp several times and then stomped upon (and one which Rory Gallagher would probably be proud to call his own, if he were still around today), while Claire’s resonant, soulful vocal stretches her voice to the utmost limits, recalling the likes of Bessie Smith and Nina Simone but with much more angst.

This is a young band that are just getting better and better all the time, and yet more evidence of the sheer wealth of talent that is just waiting to bust out of the li’l ol’ corner of the world known as Norn Iron.

The Red Velvetines play Banbridge Football Club, with Screaming Eagles and ‘Tric, on Saturday February 9th. Further gigs will be announced in the near future. Follow the band on Facebook for more information. - Mark Ashby (Sound And Motion Magazine)