Three-and-a-half years ago, promising Navan quartet The Dolldrums decided to throw caution to the wind and leave behind their old identity and musical style. Re-christening themselves Red Queen Contest, their gamble was certainly a risky one, especially considering that they adopted an edgier sound. In many respects their reboot has paid off, however, as RQC’s self-titled debut album is a solid offering from start to finish.
Featuring guest appearances from members of Shouting At Planes, Crash Ensemble, The Handsome Boatman and Saramai & The Swords, the record opens strongly with the plaintive ‘Now (Before It Gets Cold)’, and from there the likes of the gritty, folksy ‘Back To Your Door’, the trembling, new wave-ish ‘Rosalee’ and the stadium-sweller in the making, ‘Eiderdown’ all feel like the real thing. The voices of co-vocalists Cormac O’Keeffe and Paul Clarke complement each other well and the combination definitely helps make Red Queen Contest feel worthy of the ‘majestic’ name.

Key Track: 'Eiderdown'