The Reds, Pinks and Purples Returning With Another Stellar Album, “Acknowledge Kindness”

Photo Credit: Samara Dun

“No sunshine / Darkness at noon.”

Starting off an album with such an unremittingly bleak lyric is an incredibly bold move, even without considering that the line references a novel written about the dangers of totalitarianism. 

In the hands of a lesser talent, that couplet could come off as self-serious or melodramatic, but we’re talking about Glenn Donaldson here, the maestro of the San Francisco dream pop outfit the Reds, Pinks and Purples. Enveloping that opening line in a misty haze of warm feedback and acoustic guitar movements and delivering it with his soft and plaintive vocal styling, Donaldson somehow manages to sound inspiring and hopeful—like it’s a knowing gesture from a kindred spirit. 

Ultimately, that track—“Is It You, or Is It Them”—which kicks off the Reds, Pinks and Purples newest album, “Acknowledge Kindness,” evolves into an anthem of pure empathy, with Donaldson wondering in the end, “if you’re alright.” The song is a stunning way to introduce the album and the latest example of Donaldson’s unparalleled talent for wringing stirring and soaring emotions out of sad, ruminative ballads.

“I think I’ve resolved myself to writing miserable songs,” said Donaldson. “But I think I do it with some sense of wit. And there are enough twists and turns to the songs that make them interesting. I just lean into what I know best, which is writing big, emotive music.”

Donaldson specializes in writing strangely accessible pop tunes, but there are entire worlds to each track. His songs are imbued with atmosphere, layered with meticulous details that add depth and profundity to melodies and hooks that are inherently approachable. 

He takes a shoegaze application to song structure—marrying the ugly and the beautiful—without the maximalist, blown out noise of that genre. In the vein of acts like Spiritualized, Red House Painters or Low, Donaldson starts with a simple foundation—a small piano piece or minor guitar chord—and adds synths, samples and other DIY wrinkles that create lush, verdant sonic landscapes. Call it art pop or slowcore, but there is something undefinable and unique about the Reds, Pinks and Purples.

Throughout his prolific career—which long predates his more recent success with the Red, Pinks and Purples—Donaldson has mined a prodigious back catalog of singles-sounding tracks to assemble his records. But for “Acknowledge Kindness,” which will be released on April 24 through Fire Records, he took on a more focused direction. 

“I think this album has been the most deliberate Reds, Pinks and Purples one I’ve made,” said Donaldson. “I really spent months working on this one, whereas in the past, I’d kind of post something on Bandcamp as soon as a song was done, so I wouldn’t obsess over it too much. With ‘Acknowledge Kindness,’ I tried to create each song with an atmosphere that would be less immediate. I wanted people to sit with these songs for a bit.”

These are profound songs for sure—dealing with loss, nostalgia, uncertainty and doubt—but Donaldson is no mordant bummer. For every strikingly sad detail, there is a flash of humor. 

A perfect example of that approach is “Emo Band,” a standout track from “Acknowledge Kindness.” Seemingly a snarky riposte about pitiable, aging rockers, upon closer inspection, the song morphs into a kindly ode to those who refuse to give up on their dreams.

“I feel like American culture really pushes artists out a certain age,” said Donaldson. “I think that’s started to change in the last decade, especially in Europe, but there is this sense like, you have a band in college and then you give it up. There’s a little self-parody in there for sure, as someone who’s in a band and definitely not in college anymore.”

In addition to those fully formed character sketches, “Acknowledge Kindness” sprinkles in plenty of references to the Richmond District, the sleepy San Francisco neighborhood that has emerged as a flourishing and dynamic artistic center, due in large parts to residents like Donaldson. Tracks like “Blue Heron Lake” and “Houses” implicitly reference the neighborhood, and there is a misty, salt-speckled feel to the songs that’s reminiscent of the western community. Donaldson records in his home studio, meaning the Richmond can literally be heard in his songs.

“There are actual bird sounds throughout the record, because I record with my windows open,” said Donaldson. “If you’re listening on headphones, you’ll hear the birds coming at the end of tracks. So yeah, the Richmond is literally leaking into the recording.”

Although not an official record release show, the Reds, Pinks and Purples will perform for the first time following the debut of “Acknowledge Kindness” with an April 29 show at the 4 Star Theater (in the Richmond, of course) opening for American Moon and Mo Dotti. 

Donaldson said he’s working on additional live plans for 2026, although he concedes that, given the current dismal state of world affairs, it’s a strange time to be embarking on grand tours.  

“It’s a little hard to get into the mindset of, like, we’re gonna bring joy and happiness to people when the fucking world is on fire,” said Donaldson. “But we’ll figure out a way to make it happen.”

It may be odd, yes, but in many ways, the Reds, Pinks and Purples are the perfect band for the moment. If anyone can find a way to identify and extract some communal bliss out of these woebegone times, it’s Glenn Donaldson.

Show Details:
The Reds, Pinks and Purples with American Moon and Mo Dotti
Where: 4 Star Theater
When: 8 p.m., Wednesday, April 29
Tickets: $20, available here.

“Acknowledge Kindness” is available for pre-order on Bandcamp here.