Raveonettes - Raven in the Grave

by Anthony Strutt

published: 23 / 4 / 2011

Label: TVT/Vice
Format: CD

intro

Fantastic fifth and latest album from Danish-based garage rock duo, the Raveonettes

'Raven in Black', the fifth album from my favourite band of this century, Danish garage rock duo the Raveonettes, doesn't dissappoint at all. 'Recharge and Revolt', which opens the album, has choppy guitar licks that will be instantly familiar to Raveonettes' fans, but then other waves hit you that sound like Lush and the Cure. Sune Rose Wagner's vocals are sugar sweet, and are as haunting as those of the Jesus and Mary Chain at their best. 'War in Heaven' starts off with a Christmas vibe before becoming as moody as the Cure or Interpol. The vocals again are sugary, so what we get here is a mixture of sweetness and darkness, and it works beautifully. 'Forget That You're Young' has more of a slow rock 'n' roll feel. Sharin Foo's vocal are as fresh as a new born child, before Sune joins in. This is very well-paced, with oddball keyboards adding much to the track too. 'Apparitions' has trippy guitar, keyboards and drums. Sune's tale on this track is haunting and compelling, which sounds like the Cure's 'Subway Song' updated for this century. 'Summer Moon' is slower and a sad love song that twangs beautifully. 'Let Me On Out' is more in the 50's style that the Raveonnettes initially became known for, and, a song of doomy love, is backed by walls of feedback and Phil Spector-like production. 'Ignite' has hit written all over it with catchy guitars, saccharine-flavoured vocals and a beat to make you dance. It is like the Pains of Being Pure At Heart with a twang sound. 'Evil Seeds' is a gritty and very dirty garage rock number, while 'My Time's Up', which ends the album, is a 50's lullaby. Superb!

Track Listing:-

1 Recharge & Revolt
2 War In Heaven
3 Forget That You're Young
4 Apparitions
5 Summer Moon
6 Let Me On Out
7 Ignite
8 Evil Seeds
9 My Time's Up

Band Links:-

http://www.theraveonettes.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theraveonettes
https://twitter.com/theraveonettes
https://plus.google.com/+theraveonettes
https://www.youtube.com/user/theraveonettes
https://www.songkick.com/artists/412456-raveonettes

interviews

Interview (2009)

In our third interview with 50s-influenced Danish garage rock group the Raveonettes, Anthony Strutt speaks to Sune Rose Wagner, the group's guitarist and singer, about their recently released fifth album, 'In and Out of Control'

Interview (2005)

Interview (2003)

live reviews

Raveonettes

Marie Hazelwood photographs Danish garage rock duo the Raveonettes at a gig at Erics in Liverpool

Rough Trade East, London, 6/10/2009

Astoria, London, 6/2/2004

London Astoria, 6/2/3003

features

Whip It On (2003)

After profiling the original version of the Raveonettes 'Whip it On' last month which came out on Crunchy Frog , Anthony Strutt now looks at the new version of the album which has been released on Columbia, and concludes that it is even better

Whip It Up (2003)

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