I know that Bradford’s Red Shakes (the musical alter ego of Sam Da Silva) celebrated his first anniversary very recently. A year can feel like a long time in music (ha, particularly this year), so it’s appropriate that the Red Shakes latest single Around The World shows a fresh and pleasingly brazen confidence. Given the sheer exuberance of the last track, Your Love Today, it’s amazing that each successively released Red Shakes track has more spark and life than the one preceding it. Around The World truly rocks.

Around The World is about a longing to be amongst the world (huh, what on earth could have inspired that?), but rather than it be a bit of a wallow as you might think, this song looks forward and is an exuberant banging celebration about the joy of exploration and experiences to come. To be honest, I didn’t expect a Red Shakes track to do anything but face the world head on. I’ve spoken with Sam a few times and he is a man you would want in your corner in a crisis to spell out the positive.

The tune is of course in the Red Shakes territory of the bright, and one of those deceptively simple singalong bangers. I remember an early lockdown gig with Red Shakes where he played this catchy new tune with only some of the words formed. Sam already knew he was onto a winner with this song.

Around the World is a crisp and clear recording (and I’d expect nothing less of Gus at Gafro Studios) and has one of those insanely catchy circular chorus. Thank god there’s no one on the bus (hahaha in any case, I’ve worked from home for 6 months so bear with me), else I’d get a funny look for inadvertently singing along to it with the ear plugs in.

The end result has a bit of a feel for the breezy style of the Magic Gang, and Vistas and Kooks fans will feel comfortable here too. I’m old school but I even get something of the open sound of some of the late 1980’s Manchester baggy to it. I’m kind of reminded of someone like The Inspiral Carpets. Like Red Shakes, all are excellent company for the ears.

Chris R

* All images taken from Red Shakes social media