The El Monte born-and-raised trio The Red Pears has returned once again with another timeless indie-garage rock EP, Alicia, that was just released earlier last week along with the music video for “Flowers” via YouTube.
The group has a reputation for consistently creating an original yet sophisticated DIY indie-rock sound that continues to allure fans since the drop of their first album in 2015, We Bring Anything to the Table…Except Tables We Can’t Bring Tables to the Table. They made a name for themselves in the local scene with a steady flow of performances throughout the years – with their emergence of backyard shows in the San Gabriel Valley area, to landing spots at major festivals such as Coachella this year.
The EP kicks off with a glittery and ambient track “One by One” that has you questioning if the whole EP will also be just as soft, and yet you’re completely comfortable with the fact that it could be. Just as you’re getting comfortable with the slow cadence of the first track, it heads for another direction entirely as the group serves us a hasty drum beat with “Dreams.” The slamming of the drum pedal and the chord progression during the melody of this song has you from sitting down and ready to unwind with a new bottle of red wine with sweats on, to getting ready to mosh all your fears away. We’re talking about moshing solo in your bedroom at 2am kind of feel.
We’re then led to the climax of it all with “Somehow,” as it progresses to a more moody tone. However, it is still reminiscent of the original indie-punk feel that The Red Pears has upheld since the birth of the group itself.
The EP then starts to slow down and come full circle with the last track “Flowers,” that was released with a music video. The short two minute song is a captivating ballad that’s dedicated to the band’s mothers as well as an ode to their hometown El Monte. The song takes off with a glimmery yet beachy toned guitar riff that sets the mood for the rest of the track. It then builds to the melody with vocalist Henry Vargas sweetly belting the first line, “Bring me all your favorite flowers, leave them on my grave. The day I die will soon come fast so never get to play. But if you want it, if it’s right I’ll never leave this place. Take some time to realize that everything’s the same.” The pure sentiment of the lyrics creates a playful warmth within the track. The song rapidly builds to the bridge with a simple yet classic bass line, which in turn can’t help you feel anything but joyful inside as you jam out to the tune.
The music video for “Flowers” takes you into a fuzzy and DIY film feel as the trio walks you through different parts of the Southern California suburban town of El Monte. It depicts how The Red Pears grew up in the hispanic suburban community. The roots of their childhood and where the groups parents raised these young men play a substantial part as to why the group has risen to one of the most prominent names in the underground indie-rock music scene.
The Red Pears have demonstrated exactly why they are one of the most humble yet successful and driven groups of the beloved SoCal garage-rock scene. With their recent performance at Tropicalia Festival in Pomona in early November and announcing a fresh new headline tour for the Spring of 2020 throughout the states, it’s clear to see that the new year holds nothing but prosperity for the band.
You can catch The Red Pears on Saturday, December 28th for their last show of the year at The Glass House in Pomona.
Listen to their newest EP “Alicia” on all music streaming platforms and here:
Watch their newest music video “Flowers” on YouTube here:
