10 Brilliant Messages....

The four lads from London are back with 10 fresh songs...just like the title of teh album says it "10 New Messages"....Remember the debut, right? It sounds brilliant...It's clearly the legacy of Joy Division(the whipping bass, the dazzling guitars) but it's just so perfectly done and Alan's lyrics are so grounded in society and they embrasse their influences so gracefully, that you'd really have no excuse for not loving them....The new album has the same effect...just that now, the blatant JD influences aren't so blatant....the pop-post-punk wonders are still there, setting off with the brilliantly named "The World Was a Mess But His Hair Was Perfect", getting through the all-so-dancey/fuck-the-world "We Danced Together" and the the-oh-so-perfect-song-to-obsess-about-for-the-rest-of-yr-life "When Tom Cruise Cries" and wrapping with the beautifull "Leave The City And Come Home"...Honestly, I don't think i could've asked for more: a great debut and a lack of what's known as SAS...Now, I must make sure they sound fab live...

The Rakes - When Tom Cruise Cries.mp3