Words: ROBIN MUMFORD
Red Bird’s latest single ‘Real’ feels almost like a revelation in my current music taste. As music fans, we often go through phases. In recent weeks, I’ve gone from listening to Paolo Nutini on repeat to broadening my contemporary playlist to all things British rock and roll. But there always comes a time where I stop listening to music in general. In retrospect, it’s because I’ve burnt out and moved on from a chapter in my taste.
While listening to Red Bird for the first time ever, I was overwhelmed with feelings, and deep down, I knew this song would get me back into the swing of all thing’s music. For the sake of my ears, ‘Real’ is exactly what I needed to reawaken the senses I had lost.
Funk, hints of gospel-esque harmonies, blues, RnB, and soul all rolled into one, Red Bird have seemingly served us a refreshing insight into a spectrum of music not many people are interested in anymore. Featuring soaring vocals and vulnerable lyrics that remind us to stay true to ourselves and pursue real connections and feelings, ‘Real’ is an amalgam of genres that nutrifies the senses.
Not knowing much about the band, except from being wowed by their music, I sought to delve in deeper. What I learnt was that Red Bird has quickly become the preeminent performance powerhouse in the Pacific Northwest, gracing the stages such as the historic Alberta Rose Theatre, The Waterfront Blues Festival, Portland Jazz Festival, among many others.
Additionally, I was thankful to discover that the band, under the guidance of frontwoman Bre Gregg, is preparing to add ‘Real’ to a forthcoming album ‘Live It All’, which will be released in early 2023. It was good news for myself as I cannot wait to get my ears involved in what they have in store in the future.