In 1999, The Stereo Society re-released the album Cry Tomorrow by The Reds. Cry Tomorrow is a product of the British Invasion of such pioneering 80s bands as Joy Division and Echo and the Bunnymen, though this album does nothing to deliver a thrilling listening experience. From the lackluster cover art to it's artificial echo chamber re-creation, the album suffers from more than lead singer Rick Shaffer's inability to sing articulately. There are brief moments when the instruments rise above the banality of the music and create something interesting, but for the majority of the record, the music fails to ign ite excitement.



The Reds are from Philadelphia, and the band is no stranger to the music scene; since 1984 they have been fueled by an nearly instinctual passion to abandon the norm and follow any experiments they can dream up. I'm not aware if they are still recording but for all I know, they might have been pushed out of making music because of their unsuccessful beginnings.



The album is powered by a singular pounding engine created by Rick Shaffer on guitar and Bruce Cohen on keyboards. The album is overly produced and every song has a heavy weight which evaporates any opportunity for the listener to imagine the music for themselves. The listener is enveloped into a web of electronic and percussive mania; swallowed by the sound of hovering electronic strings and textures too deep to wade through. There is no entrance into the cave which these two musicians are hiding in, and the listener is forced to distance themselves from the meaning of the music, even though they may enjoy the instrumentation.



The opening song "Waiting For You" lushioushly begins with keyboard textures, a static bass line barely audible beneath the ocean of sound. Shaffer's sound guitar work, and a set of electronic drums keeping a staccato rhythm. As soon as Shaffer begins singing, the sound is something of a cross between a Mick Jagger, Neil Young, and Ian Curtis on a drunken binge. His vocal range reaches it's monotone peak when he sings "Take a chance with me" and then the chorus kicks in with a slew of session singers singing the "Waiting for you" refrain. The song's lyrical depth reaches something that Leonard Cohen might have t hought up in his sleep.



The most surprising song follows. "Gimme Shelter" is another similar tune, with jungle percussion and outdated synthesizers echoing in an unbelievably false environment while Bruce Cohen's keyboard lays out a level for Shaffer to play and sing overtop. His singing here follows in the same vein as before, although his uninviting voice pushes the listener out of the music rather than drags them through the tune. The most exciting moment comes during the chorus (again) when another group of session singers, sounding something Bob Dylan might have hired on "Slow Train Coming", sing in a gospel unison. Shaffer's voice slips under the professional talent and becomes nearly un-noticable. The song ends with a few solos from Shaffer and some cres cendos from the rhythm sections, but nothing mesmerizes.



The instrumentation itself is the most interesting and adventurous aspect of the album. It is a credible album when one examines the flowing and lush backgrounds of music going on in each song. Shaffers guitar work pulls the listener in all directions and Cohen is a more than capable keyboardist; conducting a virtual symphony of textures and sounds throughout each track. All the session musicians on the album seem to pull their weight and make the instrumental compositions the most rewarding aspect of the album. If only Shaffer would step away from the microphone.



Even Ian Curtis knew the lengths and capabilities of his voice and so used his chords to draw the listener into his music. It was intimate and it was truthful; Curtis was also a song writer of considerable degree. If The Reds listened to their critics more instead of their hearts they may have proven to be an interesting instrumental group and, who knows, may have inspired an aspiring songwriter to write for them. If you want bleak 80s pioneers, check out Joy Division instead.



Track Listing

1 Waiting For You

2 Gimme Shelter

3 Torn And Frayed

4 Terror In My Heart

5 This Time

6 One More Time

7 All So Wrong

8 Cry Tomorrow

9 Outside Door

10 Shaken Cold