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Rating: Lived for quite some time in the shadow of the giant Franz Ferdinand, the Londoners Rakes finally arrive at their second album exactly two years after their raw debut "Capture/Release".
"Ten New Messages" is an impressive leap forward!
Despite the media overdose of the so-called new "British invasion" having nearly exhausted its effects, the Rakes with this new work prove they can create a sound mix made of captivating melodies, intriguing bass lines, and rampant "wave" guitars, far surpassing the 'trendy' spirit of many bands in the genre (Editors, the same Franz Ferdinand, the Killers, and many others) and packaging ten beautiful songs from the first to the last.
The breathtaking start of "The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect" (delightful title) seems to take us back to the most fervent and creative period of the 80s among Cure, Gang Of Four, The Sound, and other delights; then "Little Superstitions" captivating and smart, cannot leave you indifferent, with its bittersweet taste halfway between a "Sunday Morning" and a "She's My Best Friend" by the Velvet Underground; and then "We Danced Together" lively and rhythmic with a pulsating bass that seems to come to life from the speakers, "Down With Moonlight" killer single perfect for post-wave clubs (never mind "Do You Want To") and "When Tom Cruise Cries", with reminiscences of the best Psychedelic Furs. None of these ten tracks is to be thrown away; in fact, the blazing sequence of tracks invites an inevitable and deserved re-listen.
For heaven's sake, the Rakes have not invented anything new. They are not Radiohead, they don’t have the crazy genius of Sigur Rós or Arcade Fire, but they manage to play that new-wave like nobody else that has cradled us and will always accompany us as music progresses in the years to come.
A mention for the splendid cover that features symbols of the Morse alphabet, corresponding to the letters of the title and the band's name. A graphic style typical of the early albums of New Order. Well, what a coincidence!!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 The World Was a Mess but His Hair Was Perfect (05:02)
All dressed up with somewhere to go
Got ten new messages on your phone
Keep trying to stop the night from falling to pieces
The night goes on and on and on and on
Where're you going and where's Steve gone
This whole night is just falling to pieces
And you go on and on and on
Talking shy through the night
Just trying to stop our arguments falling to pieces
You slag off America in the pop
Saying the war was shot
The world was a mess but his hair was perfect
The world was a mess but his hair was perfect
The world was a mess but his hair was perfect
The world was a mess but his hair was perfect
02 Little Superstitions (03:51)
Don't talk rubbish to me
i use reason on my brain
it's those little superstitions
that get me through the stress and strain
i have made my contributions
and now and then i find
on the subject of my love life
i've been left behind
let's make the most of it
the time we've got together
quit all the secrets that are
choking up your heart
and tearing all the light from the stars
let's make the most of it
the time we've got together
quit all the secrets that are
choking up your heart
and tearing all the light from the stars
i'm made some calculations
but will not put them to the test
it's those little superstitions
that cannot be laid to rest
our bodies are reacting
we're heated dangerously
leaving traces on each other
that the naked eye can't see
let's make the most of it
the time we've got together
quit all the secrets that are
choking up your heart
and tearing all the light from the stars
let's make the most of it
the time we've got together
quit all the secrets that are
choking up your heart
and tearing all the light from the stars
yeah, i say forever
and you just say whatever
but if you feel how i feel
then we'd stay together
yeah, i say forever
and you just say whatever
but if you feel how i feel
then we'd stay together
let's make the most of it
the time we've got together
quit all the secrets that are
choking up your heart
and tearing all the light from the stars
let's make the most of it
the time we've got together
quit all the secrets that are
choking up your heart
and tearing all the light from the stars
let's make the most of it
the time we've got together
quit all the secrets that are
choking up your heart
and tearing all the light from the stars
yeah, i say forever
and you just say whatever
but if you feel how i feel
then we'd stay together
yeah, i say forever
and you just say whatever
but if you feel how i feel
then we'd stay together
03 We Danced Together (03:53)
We danced together on the roof at the party,
five stories removed from the troubles on the street
the sun arose revealing goose bumps on your arm
A sign that we should move together somewhere warm.
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We moved to the street where they tried to hold curfew
and ran among the debris as the bullets flew.
Helicopters circled overhead to get a better view
We found a doorway, fell in and I held you.
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We didn’t give a shit about what they would say
and stayed up until the light turned our eyes grey
we caned our money like it was our last day
two fingers up at those who won't miss us when we pass away
We danced together
We danced together on the roof at the party
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
We danced together
...We didn’t have no where to go
waiting for the daylight to begin
Singer, save our secular souls
how can u have hope with no God?
We didn’t give a shit about what they would say
and stayed up until the light turned our world grey.
we caned our money like it was our last day
two fingers up at those who won't miss us when we pass away
We didn't have no where to go
waiting for the daylight to begin
Singer, save our secular souls
How can you have hope with no God?
How can you have hope with no God?
04 Trouble (03:15)
Tho I been thinking about it, I live with the idea
the way we where would last forever
yeah it all seemed pretty clear.
but when the foundations shook
and the cracks started to appear
Saw the light in each others eyes
as the whole world disappeared.
Chorus 1
My history has come and gone
I'll drive late at night
the only car on empty streets
no welcome sun in sight
Chorus 2
If its trouble that you're looking for,
its trouble that you'll find.
Sometimes trouble finds you no matter where you hide
We got back from the party on a comedown for a week
Where we out there making history? Or was it just a lack of sleep?
It seemed like we were waiting in the wings to take our bow...
The outsiders are whispering this is our moment now.
Chorus 1 (2)
My history has come and gone
sometimes I think I see
Your face in the rear view mirror, yeah,
looking back at me
Chorus 2 x2
It was important to us
to do more than just survive
surviving sometimes took up too much of our time
Chorus 2
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