Band of the Week: Blood Red Shoes

You know how it is with some bands -- a series of whoops, cheers and hoopla that, once faded away, reveal a whole lot of nothing that leaves you scratching your head and wondering what all the fuss was about.

And then you get someone like Brighton duo Blood Red Shoes. Having left a sizeable mark on 2008 with the combustible guitar noise of 'Box of Secrets' and a series of memorable gigs and incendiary festival appearances, the pair -- singer/guitarist Laura-Mary Carter and drummer/singer Steven Ansell -- are set to return in early 2010 with 'Fire Like This', an album that delivers on the scuzzed-up promise of it predecessor, 'Box of Secrets.'

So should we be pulling out the plaid shirts again after all this time?

"The idea was to make a record like Nirvana's 'In Utero' -- a rock record with real heart, no macho crap," says Ansell.

Indeed. As evidenced by the tantalizing glimpse of the new album in the shape of the epic 'Colours Fade' -- available as a free download from the band's website – Blood Red Shoes have taken the template of their heroes (that'll be the likes of Babes In Toyland, Drive Like Jehu and, of course, Seattle's most famous sons) and added a voice, urgency and personality that it is unmistakably and undeniably theirs.

Blood Red Shoes are undoubtedly at odds with prevailing trends yet it's this determined stand, coupled with a rare intensity, that sets them apart from the pack. Find out for yourself when they play:

Birmingham Academy 3 (Mar. 2)
Nottingham Rescue Rooms (Mar. 3)
Bristol Thekla (Mar. 4)
Brighton Komedia (Mar. 5)
Leeds Cockpit (Mar. 6)
Edinburgh Electric Circus (Mar. 8)
Dundee Doghouse (Mar. 9)
Glasgow King Tuts (Mar. 10)
Newcastle Academy 2 (Mar. 11)
Manchester Academy 3 (Mar. 12)
London Garage (Mar. 13)