Posted on December 7, 2009 - by Jennifer

Move over, U2! Theo Red is here.

Fortunately or unfortunately, if you live in the United States and someone says, “Name a great Irish band”, chances are you will say “U2”.  And if they say, “Name another”, you will say “Umm…err”.  It’s tough for Irish bands to make a name for themselves outside of the UK or Europe and it’s even tougher when they don’t have the support of a major label behind them.  But, next time you’re in search of something different for your iPod, consider up and coming Irish artist Theo Red’s latest album “Get What You Came For”.  It’s a little hard to describe this album because it’s not quite like anything else out there.   The Irish Times calls it “whip smart rock” and the London Daily Telegraph calls it “ a heavyweight collection of dramatic art rock songs”.  I call it a perfect blend of a big, dramatic, occasionally even driving sound with candid, intimate lyrics. And that juxtaposition really works. So, songs like “This is Not an Emergency”, “Screw”, and “Ido’s Dog Fight” are all fixtures on my running playlists but they are also the soundtrack for quieter moments.    Another thing I appreciate about this album is that, in a sea of rock irony, songs like “Trust the Pilot” and “Hello Tokyo” are sort of islands of heart-on-your-sleeve.  Theo writes about love, sex, drugs, faith, and loss without emotional distance or ironic self-awareness.  There is some clever wordplay but Theo’s voice and his heartfelt musings draw you in rather than holding you at arm’s length.  Theo Red’s sound makes you want to move but the lyrics make you want to linger.  Either way, you get what you came for.

Check them out at http://www.theo.ie/ and download the album from iTunes