Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line review

Originally posted at www.loudandquiet.com

Ra Ra Riot are, if the internet is to be believed (and obviously, it never lies) a six piece “amorphous blob” that have wormed their way into the collective-consciousness of indie fans everywhere. Perhaps “intelligent indie” fans should be the correct phrase, but let’s face it, IDM already occupies the top spot for “worst genre name ever” and I really don’t want to coin another equally terrible saying. Anyway, back to ‘The Rhumb Line’; this “amorphous blob” has only released one other record (aside from an initial demo EP), a self-titled EP that features a few early recordings of songs that are now neatly re-worked and fitted onto ‘The Rhumb Line’. As with any album that features reassessments of earlier recordings, there tends to be derision between newcomers to the band and hardened aficionados who cling to the fragmented recordings of their heroes and downright refuse to let the re-evaluations seep into their ears. Well, surprisingly, ‘The Rhumb Line’ far surpasses Ra Ra Riot’s earlier EP.

Ra Ra Riot have a recognisable air to them, but rather than relying on a tired formulae to create verses that will appeal to the masses, the group instead borrow carefully created sounds that tread the dangerous line between familiarity and uniqueness. Thankfully, Ra Ra Riot have made it over the border, they are new refugees in the land of “uniqueness” and it seems certain that they will have their visas granted and become permanent residents in this sparse, barely populated, but magical space.

The group employ the call and response vocals of Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan of Stars fame and lyrically, the waltzy and intimate relationship perspectives offered up by lead singer Wesley Miles, screams of ‘Heart’-era Stars. However, rather than following suit with this obvious knowing nod to those chirpy Canadian troopers and in turn sounding a lot like Morrissey, Miles instead prefers the breathy style of Andrew Bird. The results of this ‘melting pot’ are remarkable, and I haven’t even mentioned the frantic choir-esque chorus reminiscent of good-old Arcade Fire in songs like ‘Ghost Under Rocks’.

Whereas the EP preferred minimal instruments, this full-length debut comes complete with a sweeping, whooping orchestra of noise that simply won’t be soothed. Some may argue that Ra Ra Riot lost their “intensity” with this new album, but these new recordings are throbbing masterpieces. Crammed with charmed guitars, a pulsing violin that competes with vocals for attention and a desperate lead singer who manages to find leeway above everything else to tell us of his loves lost suggests a “blob” that hasn’t lost a smidgen of its original fire, in fact, it seems to be turning into quite the inferno.

7/10