There’s truly something in the water in Chicago, and it screams the color red — Blake Red. Not only is Chicago and its many suburbs the staple of major musicians such as Rise Against, Fallout Boy, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Smashing Pumpkins, and of course, Kanye West, but it’s also the creative breeding grounds for self-made alt rock artist Blake Red, who has used her enriched background from the premier music institute Berklee College of Music, along with her Illinois eccentricity to deliver a passionate EP titled The Cradle.
The four-track music project is led by her single “Follow Me,” released in March 2021. “Follow Me” can be interpreted in many ways — a story of a love lost or the meeting of one’s inner esteem with their higher self. The versatility of the single does the essential job of appealing to the masses. It’s one of the reasons why Blake Red has received consistent radio play at rock stations across the U.S., even charting at No. 6 on WIIT Chicago’s Top 30 and No. 15 on WLFR – Galloway, New Jersey’s Top 30.
Learn More About The Artist Blake Red
“The Cradle,” the first track on the EP of the same name is accompanied by an official video that shows Blake Red, rocking her signature red lip and shoulder length blonde locks, emerging from tranquil waters surrounded by earth-toned shrubbery and rocks.
The opening is followed by scenic views reminiscent of quiet rural towns. Donning a nearly sheer white summer dress and black leather boots, Blake Red treads through railroad tracks, wooden terrains, and dirt-laden sidewalks to get to the “other side,” which ends up being in the arms of her loved ones as they walk toward a grand white house.
Whether done with intention or not, the symbolism of it all parallels Blake Red’s lyrics of redeeming herself from a torturous imprisonment as she orders her “demons” to retreat, sending them a heavenly, kick-a– send off with a ripping guitar break that’s truly euphoric. By the time “The Cradle” comes to an end the only words that linger in the eardrums of listeners are simply that “Blake Red is up next — point, blank, and period.”
“‘The Cradle’ is really about starting fresh, starting again, kind of finding yourself,” said Blake Red in an interview with Unsolicited Opinion Metal Podcast. “[It’s] about working through whatever was getting you down.”
Other tracks on the EP include the darkly warped sound of “The Darkness,” featuring Nona Hendryx, and the awe-inspiring battlecry single “This Reincarnation.” All in all, The Cradle EP is the perfect follow up to her 2019 debut EP S.O.S. (Songs On Suicide).
Her discography is quickly becoming a lyrically synchronic evolution, as the rampaging rage and unshakeable joy of Blake Red’s storytelling closely resembles purified water rushing to the crevices of an embodiment holding dirty oil only to push it up to the top for easy scooping. Or another perspective that’s more on the positive side, the cream always rises to the top.
Blake Red didn’t just make a rock album for the vanity of it all. She purposed her project to be a living example of overcoming the mental darkness that so many have been consumed by. Far from just hype, Blake Red is the quintessential musician with talents that range from guitar playing to songwriting, from vocals to production, and her mastery of music is more than apparent on her sophomore EP.
The Cradle was recorded and mixed by Daniel Farnsworth, and mastered by Doug McBride, while Macklin Suhre performed drums. Blake Red, who also wrote and arranged the EP, performed all other instruments, arrangements, and production.
Listen To ‘The Cradle’ on Bandcamp
The Cradle is out now on Bandcamp, Spotify, YouTube, and streaming platforms.
