RED FLAG
THE EAGLE AND CHILD
ALBUM PLAN B RELEASE: JUNE 24, 2000 REVIEW: JUNE 19, 2000


If there ever was an equivalent to the Super Mario Bros in the synthpop world, the Reynolds brothers of Red Flag have to be the most likely candidates. With their critically acclaimed 1989 debut album "Naïve Art", the synthpop community embraced them whole heartedly. This album generated hits like "Count to Three", "Russian Radio" and "If I Ever" and instantly put Red Flag on the map.
The second full studio album "The Lighthouse" was a flirt with more ambient sound textures, and also marked the entrance of their own label, Plan B Records. An EP was released as well as the album "Caveat Emptor", which was a significant step towards their older sound.
With the brand new disc, "The Eagle and Child", Mark and Chris Reynolds come full circle, returning to the catchy synthpop theme of their debut. It's simple, yet very competent, with exceptionally strong vocals and nice melody hooks. The title track is a hyper electronic piece of raw coolness, and "Disarray", to be released as a single, is the perfect synthpop song. Other highlights include "Synthpopalooza" and "In My Arms Again", of which the former is an upbeat, club friendly salute to synthpop lovers all over the world.
The mystery of "The Eagle and Child" is that all the tracks from their 1996 EP, properly named "EP", is included, in slightly reworked versions. That, and an occasional downfall, contribute to lowering the grade, but they are still very much at the top of their game, the Super Reynolds Bros.

NIKLAS FORSBERG