Track Review-The Rakes: "The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect"

I never bought the Rakes' debut, but I remember streaming the singles and watching the videos. They were fun songs in the Gang of Four/Wire vein of 21st British rock. The band had a great sense of humor, were adroit with writing a solid hook, and had fairly amusing videos. Fun, yet pretty disposable and typical of just about everything else coming out of the UK these days. Enter "The World Was a Mess . . ." from this year's Ten New Messages. This lead off track was apparently written as the soundtrack for a fasion show. It raises the possibility that the Rakes' new record, which has yet to see a US release, may be something worth picking up. Rather than locking into a hi-hat heavy disco beat with an angular guitar hook, the band instead takes its time in building up to a droning yet dancable and energetic groove. There are still hooks, but they are much more subtle and melodic, and woven into this song's fairly free structure rather than stand out immediately during the song's chorus. There's also some atmosphere here in an etheral keyboard line in the backround and a lazily ascending, effects-laden guitar riff that reoccurs several times. There's still humor in the lyrics, but singer Alan Donohoe's delivery is a bit more reflective than on earlier cuts like "22 Grand Job" or "Retreat." Overall, this introduction of atmosphere, melody, and subtelty into the Rakes newly stretched out sound has piqued my interest in what I had previously considered a fairly rank and file British band. The Rakes:Vox-Alan DonohoeGuitar-Matthew SwinnertonBass-Jamie HornsmithDrums-Lasse Petersen