Dated: September 18, 2008
for Alternavox.net
Put Your Headphones On
The Russians are Coming!!!
By: Peter Quincy Ng
The 22-Year-Old, cute as a button Lourdes Hernández,
the brains behind Madrid’s eclectic Russian Red
Photo: Laura Encursiva
Although you may have yet to hear of Russian Red, 22-year-old Madrileña Lourdes Hernández has drawn up a storm in the both local and European scene. Coming off somewhere between Regina Spektor, Norah Jones or Feist, Hernández creates a sound that is truly unique to Russian Red. Her debut album appropriately named for its genre (and the indie scenesters) “I Love Your Glasses” (2008, Eureka Records) features eclectic and diverse tracks from Russian Red’s vaguely ragtime “They Don’t Believe” to the almost charango-like riffs in “Nice Thick Feathers” which has gained immense popularity after being featured in a cute and little commercial by ice cream giant Haagen Das’ in her native Spain. The entire record is set in a cute yet haunting tone with smoke-tinged vocals and cryptic lyrics. Russian Red is definitely an outcast in the Spanish indie scene, simply speaking there aren’t too many artists who sing exclusively in English. However when asked why Lourdes writes in English she simply replies that she loves the language and has been a result of her studies in translation. With its cryptic lyrics featuring in songs such as Nice Thick Feathers’ “She’s got nice thick feathers she’s put on, for she wanted to reach the violent kingdom.” or from the song Walls are Tired “They say there’ll never be a girl like her again with her socks up to her knees and her obsession ‘bout bees” highly prevalent and littered throughout the record, the albums meaning almost seems lost in translation. Another particularly interesting listen is the album closer, a cover on Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”. There Lourdes tastefully strips down the song “Cat Power” style bringing the highly upbeat song down low to a melancholy feel. Overall, I Love Your Glasses is a solid listen with definite shelf-life as each song is almost as captivating as its former despite the fact the lyrics may simply be too cryptic (or aren’t meant to be understood), the record is cute and refreshing as Lourdes herself and her love for the four-eyed.
Recommended Tracks:
Cigarettes, They Don’t Believe, Take Me Home, Nice Thick Feathers, Just Like a Wall
Check out Russian Red if you like:
Bat for Lashes, The Dø, Regina Spektor, Cat Power, Pretty girls with cute bangs (Not a band)
Check out Russian Red at:
http://www.myspace.com/russianready
http://www.eureka-music.com/en/