Introducing: RedFaces – Sheffield’s Newest Major Label Indie Band

After such a tumultuous year, there is something reassuring about hearing a group of four young lads from Sheffield, singing about escaping their home town in pursuit of something better; its safe, comfortable and reliable when so much else is uncertain. Not that these are descriptors that should be used to describe RedFaces‘ music itself, a nostalgia-heavy mix of guitars, melodies and youthful spirit.

Launched in 2012, RedFaces headed into 2Fly Studios in Sheffield recording demos with Alan Smyth, the man behind the Arctic Monkey‘s initial releases. Their influence is clear throughout RedFaces work,alongside other indie stalwarts such as Supergrass, The Enemy and The Kinks. Out of theses sessions came the band’s first single, ‘Katie Come Home’, and extensive coverage and performances across the BBC Introducing network, at T in the Park and Y-NOT Festival. ‘Katie Come Home’ matched lead singer, Harry Lowe‘s northern drawl with instantly relatable, everyman lyricism and attracted a great deal of major label interest.  The band have since signed to RCA, who have embraced a sound which some might say has passed out of fashion in recent times.

Newest single ‘Kerosene’ was released earlier this month as the first proper introduction to the band as a major backed group, and it is a riproaring statement of intent. There are signs of growing maturity in their hook-heavy songwriting and a more distinctive sound, driven by a growling riff and strong vocal performance by Lowe.

Whilst it may never be labelled challenging or groundbreaking music, RedFaces know what they like and want from their sound and have wholeheartedly embraced it. Given the success of modern contemporary Catfish and the Bottlemen, this formula is certainly not broken and there is plenty of appetite out there for it. When it is executed as well as RedFaces do, the potential for mainstream success seems very strong, particularly given most of the band have only recently finished school.

RedFaces are Harry Lowe (vocals/guitar), Isaac White (bass/backing vocals), Charlie Yapp (drums) and Ryan Laycock (guitar/backing vocals). Take the opportunity to catch this exciting new prospect as they tour the UK in early 2017, dates below.

‘Kerosene’ is set for release on limited 7″ on 3rd February and can also be streamed HERE.

Upcoming Tour Dates

January
20 – Sugarmill, Stoke
21 – Yellow Arch Studios, Sheffield
24 – The Cellar (Independent Venue Week), Oxford
28 – Think Tank Underground, Newcastle
29 – The Sunflower, Birmingham
30 – Studio 2, Liverpool
31 – Bodega Social Club, Nottingham

February
02 – Sound Control Bar, Manchester
03 – West End Centre, Aldershot
04 – Crofters Rights, Bristol
06 – Prince Albert, Brighton
07 – Underground, Plymouth
08 – Oporto, Leeds
10 – KU Bar, Stockton
21 – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
25 – John Peel Centre, Stowmarket

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Words: William Sutton