Red Rum Club’s Fourth Album ‘Western Approaches’ Makes Waves
It’s hard to believe that Red Rum Club are on their fourth studio album. This particular record has felt like we’ve been waiting a little longer than usual from their album-a-year releases between 2019-2022 but it’s definitely been worth the wait.
Having been holed up in the industrial outskirts of the city in their rehearsal space, the title of the album Western Approaches is also the name of the area in Liverpool where cargo was sent from North America during World War II. “It’s an all-encompassing name for this album,” notes guitarist and main songwriter Tom Williams “It fits in with the nautical side, ‘Western’ has connotations with religion, which is explored in a few songs, and the word ‘Western’ is sometimes used about our music.”
The newly added grittiness meets their previous recipe of catchy lyrical offerings akin to Arctic Monkeys and their trumpet-driven festival favourites to deliver a hugely diverse 10-track album. If you already know the Liverpool six-piece from their riotous live shows or previous fiendishly addictive albums Matador, The Hollow Of Humdrum and How To Steal The World, you’ll know they have the song-writing capability to give you any combination of their stage-honed hits, while stealing away fans from other stages in the meantime. Album four is equally infectious, but as singer Fran Doran explains “After four albums, we’re at a point where we think less about what everyone else will think.”
“It takes a while to find your exact sound. There’s no shame in releasing music while you’re still doing that. Some bands wait until they’re certain, because they want an initial blow-up, but music rarely works like that. You should release music both to see what people want from you and to see what you want for yourselves”
Western Approaches has a nautical theme from the get-go and those familiar with the Western Approaches Command station in Liverpool which was staffed largely by the women of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, then you may spot the opening track featuring sounds of waves and Morse Code spelling out ‘Red Rum Club Western Approaches’ (we’ll save you the hassle of tapping it out!).
The album’s final track, Jigsaw Shores, is truly a journey. Encapsulating the potential for what could emerge in future albums it takes a turn into chaos with subtle SONAR-like percussion expanding and pulling back between fuzzy unknown depths and swirling wave-like melancholy.
The final piece of their latest release will culminate with their next UK tour climaxing with Red Rum Club’s first arena headline show, to 11,000 fans at Liverpool M&S Bank Arena on 5th April 2024. You’ll want to be onboard by that point because it’s going to be big!
Red Rum Club’s Western Approaches is out on Friday 23 February on all major streaming platforms.
Check our Red Rum Club’s official website for tour dates and merch and follow them on Facebook, X and Instagram for updates.
Michael Fell
