Album review: THE RED PAINTINGS – The Revolution Is Never Coming

The Red Paintings

[Release date 30.09.13]

If aliens were scanning earth’s frequencies then The Red Paintings’ The Revolution Is Never Coming could well be the summation.  Quite what they’d make of it, I’m not sure.  They’d either think humanity was ripe for harvesting, or way to unstable to even consider making contact with.

The Red Paintings, the brainchild of Australian Trash McSweeney – a man who sees colour in music – is a hugely ambitious project – an apocalyptic combination of performance art and music.  LA based, but with Australian origins, and with support slots as diverse as Mogwai and Missy Higgins, McSweeney’s songs – or should I say observations of the human condition – put him on a level that most could only aspire to with the help of mind-altering substances.

A one man vision – McSweeney’s guitar, sequencing and samples are supplemented by a revolving door of players, but always incorporating orchestral – cello / violins – to encapsulate a maelstrom of sound.  Live, he incorporates sci-fi art rock, human body and canvas painters into the performance, and the late Bryan Carlstrom (Alice In Chains, Rob Zombie) observed that in his 30 year career he’d never mixed ‘such a diverse, colourful and emotionally dynamic album  – a 21st century War Of The Worlds’.

Musically, The Revolution is impossible to pigeonhole – the power and passion of Muse at their best is in evidence, but the The Red Paintings encompass so much more it’s a one-off.  But one that’s an inexorably magnetic vortex.  It may be one man’s madness, or genius – a musical Tim Burton whose visions of geishas, sea creatures, and aliens is impossible to ignore.

He may only have an underground following now, but if you’re up for an ‘out of world’ experience, try The Revolution Is Never Coming.  The Revolution will reach these shores live in November/December (2013).  Be warned – you may never see life, or music, the same way again.  ****

Review by Pete Whalley


Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio


David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.


UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com


Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)



Popular (last 10 days)


Please log in/register