This hazy East Coast outfit make slacker/toner styled country music and their name comes from the one place they and their pals tend to congregate in each other's houses.
So what of their twelve-song inaugural album? It doesn't make a bad start, as the runaway verses of 'Babylon' gather momentum with barely a pause for breath. With harpsichord sounds holding things together under psychedelic duress, the track even comes complete with militaristic drum rolls.
But these guys ain't tripping - as first indicated the husky ode to perfect womanhood, 'Magdalena' - a cringeworthy ode to the local ballet dancer/feminine ideal.
Slowhand half-blues reminiscent of standards like 'Bad, Bad Whisky' also feature particularly in 'These Walls' and 'Funny Situation', but lyrics like the ones during the chorus of 'Went To Town' are always likely to detract from the music:
"I went to town to find a girl/I found a girl who went to town"
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Below-standard lines at the best of times, but especially so given that Freeman, a credible guitarist, has a 'can't sing' vocal that's rendered tongue-in-cheek by almost constant cartoon huskiness.
As the dominant feature of a record with ostensibly sincere intentions, it's unacceptable.
Although there are some worthwhile passages in the music, given the enormous amount of alt-country, Americana and blues currently pouring forth from the States, there are literally hundreds of far more worthwhile records that outshine this one with ease.
Myspace: Freeman Dre
Nicely packaged though it is, 'Red Door Second Floor' is ultimately pretty dire.
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