Don't Forget Your (Red) Umbrella| Posted October 31, 2007
The debut from indie label 7 Spin Music's Red Umbrella relies heavily on a sound inspired by modern retro brit-rock influenced acts Death Cab for Cutie and Athlete. Wishing for Boardwalk's musical, vocal and lyrical stylings made me think early of U2 co-mingled with the Seventy Sevens.
This album's catchy blend of pop/rock is quirky, yet accessible. Wishing for Boardwalk's lyrical depth is a pleasant surprise is a market monopolized by shallow and/or vague pretension. Red Umbrella is a refreshing band and Wishing for Boardwalk is a keen, stylish debut.
A great start for a good band| Posted February 09, 2011
Red Umbrella is not a band I intended to listen to. I guess this is a case where I judged a book by its cover, as I was very attracted by the unique album artwork. The CD was also on sale, and I had a little extra cash, so I figured why not give it a shot. I'm happy to say that I don't regret this decision, as I still pop in this CD from time to time several years later.
Red Umbrella has a sound to it that I haven't really heard in Christian music. Since that's most of what I listen to, it was different, but in a very good way. The singer's voice isn't something I think I would've classified as great, but it works so well with the music. Having a very laid back sound that's not too heavy but also not super slow, it's good music to pop in and listen to with anybody, or something to sing along to on a 30 minute car ride.
Several songs stand out to me. I love the starting track and the second, as they set a good pace for the rest of the album. The title track is fantastic, but my personal favorite would be "Slide". Just a happy song! :)
All in all, I think this is a great album, and if you're looking for something new, try it out.