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Review Summary: The Rakes slag off London, head to Berlin and at least recapture some of that angular indie post-punk which made them notable in the first place. Everyone used to hate the bad guy, but that is no longer the case in the new millennium. Movie villains are written in a way so that the audience empathizes with them. Heels are cheered in professional wrestling. And bad boy rockers and rappers sell millions of records. Ok, so when it comes to music, nothing has really changed. But what of those rock stars who go out of their way to specifically denounce a certain something? Take, for example, Alan Donohoe - lead vocalist of English band The Rakes - who in late 2008 came out with this doozy in an interview: "The London music scene is so dull - it's like wading through a swamp of $hit. We just wanted to be somewhere more inspiring".
As it turned out, "somewhere more inspiring" turned out to be Berlin - Germany! The most pertinent factor here is that The Rakes' target audience just happens to be working-class Englishmen. Nowhere was this more apparent than on their sporadically impressive break-through LP 'Capture/Release', where the London quartet sung about '22 Grand Jobs' and 'Work, Work, Work (Pub, Club, Sleep)'. With their follow-up, 'Ten New Messages', being predominantly bland, timid & overlong, I guess something needed to be done... Although slagging off their homeland was the last thing most expected.
Well, the good news is that The Rakes have realized their strengths and played to them on their 3rd full-length release 'Klang'. Opener 'Youre In It' begins with the possibly telling lyric of "Sometimes you can’t smell the *** till you’re in it", before seeing the band head straight into an energetic up-tempo strut that highlights Matthew Swinnerton's hooky, angular guitars. Follow-up 'Thats The Reason' delivers more of the same urgency, but with a catchier backing-vocal heavy chorus which should have seen it released as the LP's lead single. That honor went to '1989', a not too dissimilar cut placed later in the track ordering which is less remarkable in every way.
Especially noteworthy about 'Klang' is its length. Clocking in at just 29 minutes, the longest of its ten tracks - the interesting musical hotch-potch of 'Mullers Ratchet' - stretches out to all of 3:20! Meanwhile, the shortest cut - the idea-packed 'Loneliness of the Outdoor Smoker' - clocks in at just over 2 minutes. It feels like they have a time limit to rob a bank and know if they spend one second longer than a half-hour, they will be caught out for the mediocre band that many outside of Great Britain already view them as. Make no mistake about it, 'Klang' may be the most immediate of their three albums, but that does not necessarily make it their most memorable.
Previously, the main issue with the quartet was Alan Donohoe's bland sub-par vocals. Admirably, he at least attempts to add more character to his voice here, even if the results are mixed. 'Bitchin In The Kitchin' sees him try to replicate the charisma of Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos, while 'Shackleton' has him returning to the almost spoken-word technique over-used on their debut. Lyrically, The Rakes definitely have a knack for pulling off one-liners and wry social observations. 'Klang' continues that tradition, with the laconically delivered bass-driven 'The Light From Your Mac' being the best example.
While the LP is rather even and highlight tracks are difficult to find, 'Woes of the Working Woman' stands out due to its piano intro and vocals that lie somewhere in-between the old-school British punk of Public Image Limited or The Clash, and the ska of Madness' Graham McPherson. However, the best is left to the very end as closer 'The Final Hill' gallops along at a great pace, before impressing with an anthemic punk-like chorus that is sure to be a sing-along live favorite, as Donohoe yelps "I just had a revolution, we've been f**ked by the institution, so we ain't got nothing to lose man".
So what can we make of 'Klang' when all is said and done? Well, ignoring the bemusing slagging off of London, it appears as if The Rakes have come to understand their place in the pecking order of British music. They simply do not have the personality and X-factor to compete with the likes of the Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand & Bloc Party. Any headway to be made from ambition was nipped in the bud on the lackluster 'Ten New Messages', so 'Klang' sees a return to their strengths; short, efficient & angular indie post-punk which made them notable in the first place.
Recommended Tracks: The Final Hill, That's The Reason & The Woes of The Working Woman.
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rliu (4)
Get back on the dancefloor with The Rakes with a sense of self awareness...
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Album Rating: 3.0
Controversial quotes and all, I still didn't even know this was being released until after it came out.
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awesome man. i have little interest in the album but the review is teh coolz
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Talking lots about the lyrics in a review is always good imo, and the conclusion was brilliant as well. I think it's about time someone else rose to the challenge of competing with the quality of your reviews... so when I find someone, I'll let you know 
I'm pretty enthusiastic about punk, so I might just have a look at this. Do you recommend getting this or either of their other albums?
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Thanks Gumby... I mean Richo... I mean Jim. Did you see the "Tick Tick Tick" on the front page of the paper today?
Thanks Spamue1. I was actually going to use more lyrics, but the review was already getting a little longer than I wanted it to be.
Just a word of warning, The Rakes aren't exactly punk. They are more indie with punk traits. And even then, it's not exactly every song. They range from indie-pop (think Franz Ferdinand without the dancey vibe) to a mixture of indie-rock & post-punk. It's a bit tough to explain. But if you are going to give them a listen, I'd probably recommend their debut, which just shades this album.
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Fuck this band.
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lol it's not gumby but the resemblance is there!
oh yeah and the sooner we sack wallace the better. people blame the players but a good coach should be able to get the best out of the list he has, and our list certainly isn't terrible on paper.
poor richo though. not the first time he's shed some tears on the ground, and it won't be the last i fear...
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Funny how Daveys reviews always end up talking about AFL. But continuing the trend ill say one thing: LLLLLLOOOOOYYYYDYYYYYYY
Nice review BTW, but as Jim said, no intrest in the album.
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notice davey hasn't mentioned anything about his own team's performance on the weekend...
; )
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Excellent review, though I'm not really interested in this album or band at all.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
DavID, what you do in your own time does not need to be shared with us.
Billy, it's difficult not to bring up Richardsonmond, when every time you click on Jim's profile, big Richo's mug is looking at you. I look forward to watching your bombers run rings around a certain team next Sunday!
Thanks Ali. I think that's The Rakes problem really; No-one cares. Especially outside of Britain. Did Donohoe's comments get much press over there?
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Nice review Davey, I'll be honest I've never heard of this band so I can't really comment on the music itself
you missed an apostrophe in the third paragraph
'Youre In It'
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Richo is a beautiful, beautiful man, Davey. I quite enjoy clicking on Jims profile and looking at him. Hahaha, still stewing about chickengate are we? I can't wait either, it will again, be beautiful.
Oh and rather that Richardsonmond, they should be reffered to as Ninthmond methinks.This Message Edited On 04.14.09
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a missed apostrophe???
that's it i'm revoking my positive vote you cad
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Did Donohoe's comments get much press over there?
I'd never heard them tbh. They're not really very big over here, so like you said I don't think anyone cares. Had they been made by a bigger band everyone would have heard about it.
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a missed apostrophe???
that's it i'm revoking my positive vote you cad
lol, well yesterday Davey was telling me he wanted constructive critiscism from me, tbh i didn't know what else i could say.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Wow Ross, I almost can't believe you have never heard of these guys. In fact, I thought they were semi-big over in the U.K. But obviously Ali is backing up that they are not. The strange thing is (like I said in my review), their target is so clearly the English working-class. I really can't see who else would really really like these guys. And you're right Ali, if Pete Doherty had said what Donohoe had, then the press would be all over it.
As for the missed apostrophe, it was intentional. I tend to leave them out because of the way I wrap song titles in '---'
As for you Billy, you're starting to worry me. I thought you might be more of a Zaharakis lover. Now let me be while I do the chicken dance. Is that on the Crazy Frog album Ross?
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I saw them live just before their fist album came out, and they had been hyped quite a bit. But there was just nothing special abourt them, nothing that made them stand out, which is probably why they have all but disappeared.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
"nothing special about them, nothing that made them stand out"
Yep, I agree with those comments. They first caught my eye on an episode of 'Later With Jools' when they sang the song 'Retreat', which I still think is their best track despite most thinking it is '22 Grand Job'. But yeah, I think they will continue to work away at around about the level they are on now.
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As for you Billy, you're starting to worry me. I thought you might be more of a Zaharakis lover. Now let me be while I do the chicken dance. Is that on the Crazy Frog album Ross?
Oh i love him too, along with McReimey and Hurley and basically every other player on essendon's list.
Oh and Ross, hurry up with that Crazy Frog review.This Message Edited On 04.14.09
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
I know you like the players with colourful boots more than the rest.
And yeah Ross, how difficult can it be to get that review written. We know at least one whole paragraph will be taken up by "ba ding ding ding dah dah dah".
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