Riding high on the wave of their last single, the sunny ‘Eleanor’, Liverpool’s Red Rum Club have put out the second single from their forthcoming album The Hollow Humdrum with their new indie-pop masterpiece ‘Ballerino’. Comprised of singer Fran Doran, Tom Williams (lead guitar), Michael McDermott (rhythm), Simon Hepworth (bass), Neil Lawson (drums) and their famed trumpet player Joe Corby, their sonically beautiful new tune touches on aspects of mental health, masculinity and the drought of male presence on the dancefloor.
Speaking on the songs inspiration, Fran Doran said: “I am always the fool that gets up first at a wedding, the ‘ballerino’ is me. The way I see it is that if I’m dancing, then I don’t know what you’re doing sitting there, you should be too. Ultimately, it’s about boys not dancing and that sense of unnecessary, toxic masculinity that stops people expressing themselves. It’s like a Billy Elliot story, just forget what anyone else thinks and dance!”
The moreish melodies delivered by the brass create a certain glam and romance to their distinct style and give them an almost Tarantino-esque vibe. The bass and drums lock into a tight groove with the unashamedly open lyrics in the verse giving way to a less vulnerable, more anthemic chorus. An undeniable earworm, you will probably catch yourself whistling that iconic hook over and over again. Initially unsure how they would top their previous release, I was blown away by ‘Ballerino’ and can safely say it is undoubtedly their best work yet.
Check out the track below:
