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The Retro Sounds of The Raveonettes

<i>Lust Lust Lust</i> is a throwback to the old days; without sounding generic.

The Raveonettes

Lust Lust Lust

Released on Nov 30, -0001

Everything vintage eventually gets revived, including music. So it's no surprise the success for retro rockers, The Raveonettes, who have consistently mixed together fuzzy distortion and rollicking guitar riffs to create a brand of sound that takes you back to the days of leather jackets, girls in bobby socks and smokin’ in the boys room.

What a year to cash in on being retro, with the success of soul tinged singer Amy Winehouse, and her 50's girl throwback album, Back to Black, she officially threw open the door for numerous bands that take a direct hit from the bygone era of the 50's and 60's soul and rock 'n' roll infusion. Simple chords, catchy hooks and pleading lyrics can do wonders for the career if done right, and sometimes its nice to just hear a song that reminds you of another song or era, not something desperately trying to be different.

Sadly there are a lot of acts that have a retro sound, yet sound like a cover band, or fail to admit the roots of their musical styling. But thankfully the Danish duo of Sune Wagner and Sharin Foo (sidebar, Foo should totally marry a Foo Fighter, then she'd be a Foo's Foo, and how sweet would that be?) don't deny their obvious sound, instead simply stating, "We are not scared of being blunt about what the references are in our music." And their newest release, Lust Lust Lust, is no exception, delivering twelve tracks of fuzzed out good old fashion fun.

Sune and Sharin's vocals blend together flawlessly on opening track "Aly, Walk With Me," a slow, somber marching track that culminates in a haze of distortion mid-song. The first few tracks are more subdued than the frenzied fast sound I'm use to hearing from the band, but I'm ok with the tone set. The start of the album has a mysterious, yet sexy sound, something that would be the perfect background for a good old David Lynch film, especially the slow dance and swoon worthy track "Lust."

The pace really starts to pick up halfway through the album with the breezy gem, "Blush," directly merging into a mass of distorted sound in "Expelled From Love," a slower, yet still heavily abrasive song. It gives the listener a break from bopping and dancing around before surging into the stand out track "You Want The Candy," a playful sugary romp that could easily slip into a best of 50's girl groups mix tape. The tempo keeps pushing with the surfer rock infused "Blitzed," followed by the "everyone clap along" handclap and feedback filled "Sad Transmission." The album is capped off with the sexy burlesque drum beat "The Best Dies," tying up Lust Lust Lust with a nice little bow, making it the perfect sample package of good retro rock 'n' roll. The Raveonettes deliver music that isn't radically groundbreaking or new in sound, but what they deliver is classic rock/pop music, and sometimes a classic is all you really need to hear.

Posted by Lisa White on Feb 26, 2008 @ 12:00 am