The New York-based trio of Blonde Redhead have covered lots of sonic ground in their 30-year career. The band -which consists of Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace – released their first album in 1995 and started out as a noise rock band. But as the years went on Blonde Redhead evolved into a far more melodic three-piece, bringing in shoegaze, dream pop, and baroque pop elements. That evolution came full circle with 2004s Misery Is A Butterfly.
From that moment on Makino and the brothers Pace created hazy elegance on albums like 23 and Penny Sparkle as well as the band’s last full length, 2014s Barragán. After nearly a ten year hiatus Blonde Redhead returns with their most elegant album yet. Sit Down For Dinner is the sound of a band settling into a late career high.
Sit Down For Dinner doesn’t forget where Blonde Redhead came from. Touches of Euro pop, shoegaze, dream pop, and alternative rock coalesce in a beautiful sound that’s as breezy as it is melancholy. Synth soundscapes combine with electric guitar and tight drums as the ethereal vocals of Makino and Amedeo Pace build a dreamy sound world you never want to leave.
Album opener “Snowman” has a lush arrangement that brings to mind Misery Is A Butterfly’s “Elephant Woman”. Like it should be on the end credits of some 1960s Italian arthouse film. “Kiss Her Kiss Her” has Kazu Makino’s beautiful vocal delivery front and center. Makino’s voice has always been the fluttering heart of the band, fragile and wispy in the best way possible. 30 years on and her voice has only gotten better. “Melody Experiment” has a kind of playful wink to it, landing in Stereolab territory.
Songs like the lilting “Rest of Her Life” or the acoustic-led “I Thought You Should Know” are songs that sound like a band comfortable in their own skin. The latter peppered in piano and Laurel Canyon vibes being a very different direction, but one I’d love to see them explore further.
There aren’t many bands that can not only sound as good as they did 30 years ago, but then evolve into something far richer and indulgent. Maybe it’s the fact that Blonde Redhead started in the fringes of noise/experimental rock that has given them a wide birth to evolve. Whatever it is, it’s exciting to be getting old with them and see how they grow as artists.
Sit Down For Dinner sees Blonde Redhead doing what they do best, which is writing melancholy, dreamy songs you get lost in. This is how a band ages with grace.
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