RED SHOES

This second Pendragon EP, is one of their weakest. The title track is an attempt to produce a rocking and rhythmy number which is rather unusual for Pendragon. Maybe a mistake ? Or maybe a number to play live during a joyful encore medley to make it funny (since I have already seen IQ playing "Caroline" from "Status Quo", why not ?). Apart from this potential use (which they won't do anyway, as far as I know) there is really nothing to be remembered.

"Searching" is my preferred track from this short EP. A fantastic and emotional guitar solo with nice background key. will punctuate this song. It is the only traditional Pendragon one featured here. Too short, unfortunately.

"Contact" is at the harder (?) edge in Pendragon's production. Might well be the only one till very recently (their album "Believe" for instance). Rather poppish and dull. Vocals are really awful (what happened to you, Nick) ? The track is saved thanks to a great guitar work throughout this (short) song.

This EP (on the contrary of some other ones) is totally useless as such. It is a piece of collection for completionists. One star.

This single is a bit of a prog sandwich - Searching is a vaguely neo-proggy guitar solo in the middle, and on either side of it you have poppier songs which were clearly pitched to show a more commercial side to Pendragon. A bit of a folly? Perhaps, but you can see why the band would have found it necessary to do this.

After the Elusive Records experiment - a bid by Marillion's manager to set up a neo-prog record label distributed by EMI - fizzled out, the band found themselves working under the auspices of Andy Ware's Awareness Records - a label Ware had originally set up to reissue otherwise-deleted Roy Harper material, and also with an EMI distribution deal. This saw Fly High, Fall Far and the Jewel get reissues, as well as the release of 9:15 Live, but Awareness couldn't justify keeping Pendragon on their books without a strong single; Red Shoes was their attempt at that.

The end result is a song which, perhaps, suits Pendragon better as a lightweight encore number than as a main attraction, and doesn't really reflect their best side. (There's a reason the compilation this is collected on is called The _R_est of Pendragon, after all!) It's kind of endearing and fun in a pop-rock sort of way - like a happier, less cynical take on Marillion B-sides like Lady Nina or Freaks - but it's not top flight Pendragon material. Worth a listen, but don't bankrupt yourself trying to track down the original release when The Rest of Pendragon has this and the Fly High, Fall Far and Saved By You EPs compiled in one tidy package.