DiS likes Ra Ra Riot, what do you think?
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A Month in Records: October 2008
Before our shiny 'n' new site arrives we thought we'd introduce another new article type. The concept is incredibly simple: one of our number likes a band, does the who-what-why paragraph, drops in a video (or audio link) and you tell us if you love them too.
Ra Ra Riot
Ra Ra Riot's** debut album The Rhumb Line is finally out next week – but it's not the sort of record that's left millions sobbing the words "why God? Why do you allow such suffering? I WANT IT NOW!", but you really should. Probably still best known for the sad accidental death of drummer John Ryan Pike, a better kept secret is that RRR have made the finest straight down the line indie pop record of the year: harmony drenched, string-swept, more hooks than a pirate convention and tinged with ineffable sadness at the death of their friend. Personally I put the lack of buzz behind the record down to the fact 2008 only seems big enough for one hyperliterate crew of New York State-based baroque poppers. That would be Vampire Weekend, a perfectly reasonable bunch who've received acres of press for tunes that sound not a million miles away from RRR's, save for the fact they aren't as catchy, sound more like Sting, and tend to have the emotional impact of a woodlouse. I'd bet my cardigan that had their albums come out the other way round then none of VW's preppy shirts and cursory world music influences would have saved them from the abyss. Anyhoo, you'll be able to make your own mind up when The Rhumb Line comes out, but in the meantime, feast yer eyes on the new video for album opener 'Ghost Under Rocks':
And then by way of comparison - and because any beef I'm trying to stir up here is clearly fatuous in light of the fact Ra Ra Riot are supporting Vampire Weekend on their November tour - here's VW's latest vid.
Ra Ra Riot are on MySpace here.
DiScuss: like, dislike, love...? Any other hyperliterate New Yorkers you think DiS might like?
- A Month in Records: October 2008
- Ra Ra Riot, Vampire Weekend, el Guincho at Academy, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, Tue 28 Oct
- Ra Ra Riot, Vampire Weekend, el Guincho at Academy, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, Tue 28 Oct
- Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
- Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
- Watch: Ra Ra Riot live
- DiS likes Ra Ra Riot, what do you think?
- Ra Ra Riot return: New Yorkers confirm London dates
From the archive
-
DiScover: Kaada
-
In Photos: White Rose Movement @ Islington Academy
-
In Photos: Abe Vigoda/The Mae Shi/Tubelord @ DiScover Manchester
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I really do. Really, really do.
awesome band
album is superb, they've been superb every time i've seen them live. in summary = superb band
"If you were here...
...winter wouldn't pass quite so slow"
LOVE
Hmm
Live they were average. The songs all merged in to one but maybe that was because of the bad sound. I think they're not bad but nothing new really either, sounds like a poor man's Vampire Weekend, that said i'd still check out the record.
I know a lot of people who love them
but when I saw them live, I thought they were distinctly average.
They're
al al alright.
I'm sure they'll do fne in indie circles.
Love
I much prefer them to VW.
& I thought they were great live at Water Rats recently, they were clearly *really* enjoying themselves, and that's infectious
also,
THE coolest t-shirt: http://tinyurl.com/4b89er
Why's it so fashionable to slag off VW?
Isn't it possible to like them AND other NY/US bands?
Great band!
Liking RRR for sure, I must say the VW are not an inch near the quality, and I hate them for it.
one of my highlights
at latitude 2007
Yeah, people just like to make a comparison
And in the Thunderdome of indie music, too often only one band can leave. Which should be Ra Ra Riot, who are lush. But Vampire Weekend DO seem to be getting a disproportionate slagging of late.
I know why people compare them
The strings, vocal melody, guitar tones and influences are all very similar if not the same as Vampire Weekend. I don't think the songs are as strong though, people only slag off VW because they're huge now.
They
are good. I like.
I love this band
and I'm so glad I bought The Rhumb Line, it turns out to be exactly the album that I had hoped for.
Great band
I love the album
ooh
they're a bit good aren't they? One of those bands it's take me ages to get round to listening to
I agree
that VW are getting a (in my eyes) rather underserved slagging of late. I am an unashamed uber-fan of the VW album and have had it on repeat all summer. Ra Ra Riot do have similar qualities to VW but with a little more of a deeper sound. The songs dont have as much appeal to me at the minute. Having said that, a few plays down the line and i may be in love with it. I am rather fickle.
Hm...
4 min of verse-chorus-verse-chorus-buildup-chorus. Poor man's Vampire Weekend, with a bit of poor man's Arcade Fire. That said, I'll probably check them out anyway.
i love this band.
too too fast is immense, and their cover of suspended in gaffa gives me goosebumps every time i listen to it.
I love this band indescribable amounts
Pretty fan-bloody-tastic live and stuff. Just wowonderful
American college rock band
sounds like American college rock band. Bring back Weezer...on second thoughts...
that t-shirt
is very cool. band also, very cool. more bands ought to match their cool with a t-shirt.
Yes.
These are ace.
I have their EP-y thing, and its really top stuff.
Saw them supporting editors and they looked like they were having just the most fun ever.
Dying is fine is excellent.
On the other hand I bought the VW album tother day. And its rubbish. Although I do like the bit where Blake has a new face.
my bf's friend is in this band
and if he heard the VW comment he'd literally sob!
absolutely
love these guys. charismatic, big-hearted fun.
gutted the UK album launch has been delayed yet again. it's on itunes already, must resist...
In Photos: Monotonix @ Hector's House, Brighton
In Photos: The Specials @ Hammersmith Apollo, London
In Photos: Camden Crawl Launch Event @ The Blues Kitchen, London
In Photos: La Roux @ Shepherds Bush Empire, London
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