The Reds, Pinks & Purples: The Town That Cursed Your Name [Album Review]

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The Reds, Pinks & Purples
The Town That Cursed Your Name
Tough Love/Slumberland Records [2023]

The Reds, Pinks & Purples was the DIY kitchen pop project of San Franciscan Glenn Donaldson but has quickly turned into his main musical vehicle over the last five years. His prolific writing and releasing of music has benefited the listener for sure but with each new album Donaldson gets closer and closer to creating that perfect indie pop record. Now on his fifth full length, The Town That Cursed Your Name is no different but stylistically the record increases the tempo and mood from last years softer sounding release Summer At Land’s End.

On this outing, The Reds, Pinks & Purples offer more fuzzed guitars and an overall indie college rock radio beat which finds this foot tapper of an album really fitting Donaldson’s knack for writing a catchy jangle. The theme of the record is about the balance of the music business and its ability to be brutal towards the working musician. Something that should connect with anyone that has ever stepped in front of a mic or picked up a guitar. It also sets the stage for a multitude of hard facts lyrics that stick in your head like in “Too Late For An Early Grave” when Donaldson sings “work hard, work hard – never paid” or “they can throw you away if you don’t work everyday.” On the title track there is a memorable opening line in “It’s a shame your record label failed, too many problems with the mail!” This constant smart wordplay highlights Donaldson’s talents and just makes every song stronger.

There are plenty of other things to like in The Town That Cursed Your Name such as the harmonies in “I Still Owe You Everything” along with the Dinosaur Jr. like guitar leads. On “Mistakes (Too Many to Name),” Donaldson calls out his own downfalls which once again lets the guitar run strong in the background with a slamming tambourine and snares to match it. I also really liked the slower album closer “Break Up the Band,” that is the perfect bookend to the album that went from the opening track’s comments of never hitting the charts or playing a big stage to this song which closes down the chances of success for the group when Donaldson sings “go solo if you can, everyone will understand, you have to break up the band.”

The Town That Cursed Your Name is another fantastic sounding entry into The Reds, Pinks & Purples quickly growing catalog. It only gets better with each listen and this tempo and style completely is another win for Glenn Donaldson. Even though in The Town That Cursed Your Name the music life seems to struggle around every corner, The Reds, Pinks & Purples are making it work!

KEY TRACKS
“Too Late For An Early Grave” / “Life In The Void” / “I Still Owe You Everything”

ARTISTS WITH SIMILAR FIRE
The Field Mice / R.E.M. / The Stroppies

THE REDS, PINKS & PURPLES REVIEW HISTORY
Summer At Land’s End (2022)

THE REDS, PINKS & PURPLES LINKS
Instagram | Twitter | Bandcamp | Tough Love Records | Slumberland Records

Thomas Wilde
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