Singled Out: Red Spot Rhythm Section's Look Up

Keavin Wiggins | 09-12-2024

Chicago's Red Spot Rhythm Section recently released their latest album "Twilight", and to celebrate we asked band leader Josh Siegal to tell us about the song "Look Up". Here is the story:

"Look Up" was originally written for an Afro-funk band called The Opposition Party that played around Chicago in the 2010s. I played keys in that band, did the horn arrangements, and wrote the tunes. This song was one of the last I wrote for that band before it broke up in 2016 and we were only able to perform it a handful of times.

When I was starting work on the Red Spot Rhythm Section 'Twilight' album, I was looking for a positive, upbeat tune, and this song came back to me. I revised the chorus, added some new lyrics, and smoothed out some areas that had been a little bumpy in the previous version.

Angela Peel adds a really sweet touch in her backing vocals - they sound encouraging and uplifting and comforting; just perfect for the song. Mike Bruno gets a fantastic shuffling Afro-funk vibe out of the drum part, and Bill Grady hits the lead vocal really soulfully. At the end of the song, where it jams along with the horns and vocals for awhile, Packy Lundholm lays down a really sweet and kind of virtuosic African-inspired guitar solo.

This is a recording where every different layer builds out the feel and vibe of the tune. It was a pleasure to put together - I hope people enjoy it.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more here