The Rifles
The Great Escape

After reading that during their last European tour, Paul Weller (Jam) joined them on stage and sang "The Eton Rifles" with the band, I rushed to listen to their latest (and second) album "The Great Escape" from 2009 and I got hit by yet another blast since the beginning of the year. 

The band is "The Rifles" from London, and they make typically English music. But there's something novel in their beat. It is indeed beat music that blends and merges all the best previous experiences of the genre, starting from The Jam and jumping to Franz Ferdinand. The novelty of The Rifles’ beat also lies in the ska fusion which makes its appearance in the background on several occasions. So, just imagine the joy that emanates from this album.

The tracks:  1) Science is violence - and the ska-beat immediately presents itself as a calling card. The band wants to surprise us with something immediate and joyful. You might think of a good piece by Franz, but here there's much more energy, making it impossible not to move to the next track. 2) The Great Escape - beautiful. It's a tribute to the best of Jam. Those "This is the second world." But again, with much more energy. The melody is cheerful and immediate. I'm beginning to think these guys have talents to sell. 3) I quickly move to "Fool to sorrow". You'll see they'll drop, I say to myself. The track starts with a chorus that leaves me a bit dubious. But then the band bursts in with a wild rhythm, and I am stunned. We’re at three out of three. 4) Sometimes - by the fourth bullet they shoot at my forehead, I'm convinced this is the album that Franz Ferdinand are trying to make and have not yet found. 5) Toerag - It's a beautiful ballad, yet syncopated. It keeps you on your toes. I think of the acoustic Jam of "Sound Effects" and, for a fleeting moment, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros (it's the rhythm guitar, no doubt). 6) History - Beautiful and with a dub-effect bass. Once again, for a moment Strummer comes to mind, this time with the Clash. But it’s just a moment because the refrain brings me back to ska-beat. One of the best tracks. 7) Winter Calls - again, beautiful. Hands clap to the rhythm. Long live summer. Here's who they remind me of! The best Housemartins of the first album! It’s them. 8) Out in the past - The rhythm guitar starts in the distance. And here we go again. Frenzied. Then it stops. And starts again. They convince me so much, I try to find a flaw, but I can’t. 9) Romeo and Julie - They’ll calm down now, I tell myself. A nice slow one. No way, more frenzied than before. The Housemartins come to mind again. Beautifuuuul. 10) The General - They start with the guitar and a whole orchestra. Brass. Trumpets. Judgment day has arrived. Pause and an explosive beat begins. How can you not think of Madness! 11) For The meantime - Finally, we have a ballad, like a nursery rhyme, that tells me they are human beings too.

There’s a limit. Even the violins tell us the party is over. It’s the finale. An unexpected album. However, unfortunately, they will climb the charts. UK girlfriends will gift it for Christmas. Grandparents to grandkids. And so on. Alex