This review appears in Washington Square News.
The Raveonettes synthesize many influences. Their garage rock dissonance is reminiscent of Sonic Youth's experimental sprawl or the Jesus and Mary Chain's white haze of music. However, the duo's sweet vocals distinguish them from their noisier brethren.
Lust, Lust, Lust, the band's fourth album, does not stray far from their usual formula.
There is not that much variety. The most prominent changes on the record are in tempo. Opener "Ali, Walk With Me" moves along moderately: Foo's detached singing trades off with blasts of feedback. The album's first single "Dead Sound" offers livelier guitar work and harmonized vocals.
As the album's title suggests, the theme of Lust is romance. On "You Want The Candy," Wagner coos, "Sweet sweet lips/The taste of you tonight," but his words are secondary. Instead of writing inventive songs, The Raveonettes specialize in mood music.
The end result is a distinctive album, but one not for everyone. This is, after all, a band that recorded their first album entirely in B-minor and their second in B-major. Their priority is not accessibility. Instead, they promote a certain aesthetic, and one's enjoyment will depend on his or her patience for this technique.
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The Raveonettes play at the Bowery Ballroom on March 26th.
MP3: The Raveonettes - Dead Sound
MP3: The Raveonettes - Dead Sound (Peter Holmstrom and Jeremy Sherrer Remix)
MySpace: The Raveonettes
Official Site: The Raveonettes
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