Traditional punk sound
By Jeff Renfro
Recently, Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party have led a post-punk British invasion that has produced some of the most interesting rock music in recent memory. The newest band to try their luck on this side of the Atlantic is England's The Rakes. The Rakes mimics the danceable rhythms of the bands of their ilk, but replace the loopy, disco baselines with something closer to traditional punk. The aggression found on "Capture/Release" is refreshing and leads to a sound that is less detached than what is currently popular.
The Rakes' (Alan Donohoe: vocals, Matthew Swinnerton: guitar, Jamie Hornsmith: bass, and Lasse Peterson: drums) formation offers no surprises. They are four well-read, young Londoners who like their pants tight and their necks scarfed. The lyrics feature numerous literary allusions, and the guitar patterns are innovative, but fall comfortably within the "art-rock" framework. The band's web site does not hide their obvious musical debt to the band Wire. The angular guitar playing is heavily influenced by punk bands of the '80s.
"Capture/Release" opens with the standout track "Strasbourg." The song is the perfect introduction to The Rakes. "Strasbourg" opens with low distortion which leads into a furious guitar riff. The drums and the bass are robotic and constant, creating a quick, jittery foundation. The genius opening line is, "I'll Meet you in West Germany, October 1983/ Another freedom was a lie/ And your husband was a spy." The entire track is 2:30 long. It follows the punk standard of making a quick, urgent point and fading before getting stale.
One of the most attractive aspects of "Capture/Release" is that the 11 songs sound as if they could have been made by 11 different bands. The Rakes have a definite song writing formula, but it is broad enough to allow them to experiment. This leads to song combinations like "Terror!" and "Work, Work, Work (Pub, Club, Sleep)." Both songs are fantastic. "Terror!" is a straight-ahead post-punk track. The lyrics are about nightmares and haunted motels, and the music could not be played faster. "Work, Work-" slows the tempo down considerably, but maintains the urgency that marks the rest of the album. The lyrics stray away from the fantastic and focus on regret after a night out partying.
This willingness to experiment leads to the CD's one failure. "Binary Love" is repetitive and boring. A few of the tracks on "Capture/ Release" feature spare electronic elements in the background, which adds an interesting dimension. However on "Binary Love," the electronic compliments dominate the song, and drown out everything else. Even the vocal delivery is choppy and monotone.
The Rakes have yet to tour the United States, but with the buzz surrounding "Capture/Release," their much-talked about live show will surely be here soon. The Rakes offer a punk-influenced version of the new British invasion that makes their music inherently listenable. That, combined with their willingness to experiment, will lead to classic rock albums.
Grade: A-