Article by Terrence Cunanan, Photos by Melanie Macpherson
Sëdézë are certainly onto something with their new EP, Redlines. My only wish is that we got more than an EP. Stripped back, emotional verses, larger-than-life choruses, and heartfelt vocal performances left me humming pretty much every song since it came out.
Redlines starts with “Earthside,” which immediately opens with a wash of psychedelic guitar, before opening into an almost reggae-esque verse. Then comes the chorus, which feels absolutely massive. The second verse sees a trade-off from Sëdézë’s one vocalist, Lovina Tootoosis, to the other, Karlen Janvier, which quickly becomes a running theme throughout the EP, and a welcome one at that. Lyrically, the song delivers a message of belonging, a great way to kick things off.
“Alive” brings Sëdézë into more of a country-blues territory, with a cheeky slide guitar sitting nicely in the mix. Once again, the listener is presented with a nice, thick chorus, with one of the catchiest vocal hooks on the EP, “I’ve got four best friends that I count on, with a job I ain’t even want.” It’s a song many can connect with, about just making it through the day. A sleek guitar solo brings the whole song together, really nailing home the blues inspiration behind the track.
“Calling Me Home” keeps up the blues-inspired vibes, bringing in some lush keys and another enjoyable guitar solo. It’s a fairly straightforward song, which really allows the band to showcase Lovina and Karlen’s vocals again, playing off each other and harmonizing fantastically, hitting a few impressive notes closer to the end of the track.
Halfway through the EP, we come to the title track, “Redlines.” This chorus is by far the catchiest thing on the record - opening with the easily memorable hook, “redlines on my body, redlines on my mind, I’ve got issues with myself, all the fucking time.” This really sets up the listener to sing along pretty much immediately. I had the pleasure of seeing Sëdézë live about a month ago, and sure enough the crowd was right there with them. The inclusion of a radio edit is smart, but the explicit track really hit hard and I’m certainly glad it exists.
“Spent the Cheque” moves right along, continuing the EP’s underlying theme of falling on hard times. There’s a great piano solo in the middle of this track, which I can only assume is played by Redlines’ producer, Dave Chester. The track ends in the repeated line, “I don’t wanna do this on my own, we don’t have to do this on our own,” which really feels like a great summary of the whole EP.
Wrapping up Redlines is “Whoopsy Daisy,” a funk jam with a bit of whimsy. The high energy of this track is a great way to end things, and really highlights every band member’s skills quite well, with a funky rhythm section, another sleek guitar solo, and some great vocal howls.
Every song on Redlines is catchy as hell, performed and produced phenomenally, and easy to latch onto lyrically. The band’s great live energy and positivity really shine through on this EP; even when the lyrics turn a little dark and melancholic, it feels like there's a silver lining or shimmer of hope mixed in. While the blues and soul roots shine through quite a bit here, this is a lot more than just “the blues,” blending numerous other influences seamlessly into a cohesive sound. I’m truly excited for the future of Sëdézë and what they could bring to a full-length LP.
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