Album Review: The Red Paintings - The Revolution Is Never Coming

Five-piece orchestral art-rock outfit The Red Paintings (TRP) take a unique approach to their music. Their live performances incorporate theatrical elements to match their dramatic sound; bodies are used as canvases, elaborate themed costumes are worn and visual projections are integrated into the performance. Their debut album, The Revolution Is Never Coming, is a distinct result of a collection of artists with an unconventional vision. The completion of the album took five years, a 35-piece orchestra, 22-piece choir, eight engineers and a trip around the world to find the right colours to attribute to the album, prompted by frontman Trash McSweeney's case of synesthesia.

With such a peculiar and elaborate backstory, you wouldn't expect this album to be anything less than epic. The Red Paintings certainly deliver in that respect. The album constantly fluctuates between gentle and raucous arrangements, though whether it be the former or the latter, the music is always rich and the sound, regardless of how subdued and cautious, is always big. The album opens with Vampires, one of the more carefully pieced together tracks. Where a good majority of the album relies on an energetically propelled disposition, Vampires and Deleted Romance outline the band's attention to detail, which is prevalent throughout the album, but not as distinguishable as in these more toned-down moments.

At times, the album feels a little too ambitious. Some moments are almost too much to stomach (such as the chaotic introduction of Dead Children and the flamboyant retelling of Alice In Wonderland in Street). It's when TRP pull the breaks a touch that the band's musicality is at its best.