Label: Vice

http://www.vicerecords.com/
Reviews: The Raveonettes - Raven in the grave / 120 Days - Sedated times EP / 120 Days - s/t
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The Raveonettes - Raven in the graveThe Raveonettes
Raven in the grave
Vice

7

Every time The Raveonettes put out an album, an all-too-familiar discourse emerges -- some critics think it is a step forward for the band, others posit the new record as further evidence of the band's stagnant sound and production, and a number of reviewers try and tie these disparate opinions together, claiming the newest effort as a creative evolution that maintains the duo's distinct vision. "Lust, lust, lust" was heralded as a triumph, lauded as an intriguing development of the band's unique mix of the influence of '60s surf rock and The Jesus and Mary Chain, and just as often dismissed as 'yet another Raveonettes album' that failed to demonstrate any discernible creative growth. A quick visit to Metacritic and you can see the same thing happening with "Raven in the grave", which surprises me. There are a few places where The Raveonettes stumble on this album (I will not even try and defend the adolescent, throwaway lyrics), but these missteps are easily overshadowed by the duo's exploration of new musical territory. Going against the grain, I'd say "Summer moon", a song that has inspired some very strange negative response in quite a few of the reviews I've read, is one of the album's highpoints, reminding me of the hauntingly reworked '50s pop of "Twin Peaks", and I think it could be argued that the influence of David Lynch and Angelo Badalementi doesn't stop there. The standout for me, however, is "Evil seeds", which channels the talents of The Raveonettes down avenues home to far more shadows than usual. I've always enjoyed the band, though their records don't often hold my attention for very long. In the case of "Raven in the grave", while it took me a few listens to really get into it, I still find myself enjoying some new aspect of a song or two with each listen. It may not rank very high on my Best of 2011 list, but "Raven in the grave" has been a welcome companion the last few weeks, especially as spring seems to have finally arrived.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Thu, Apr 21st, 2011 13:24:08

120 Days - Sedated times EP120 Days
Sedated times EP
Vice

6

With their new EP out, favourite melodramatic Norwegians' keep showing their skill at crafting dark, dramatic rock songs with influences ranging from Krautrock to the Jesus and Marcy Chain and New Order. It's all very catchy and certainly a hit with anyone who's ever wanted to look "heroin chic", but just as with their debut album, the band continues their streak of horribly clichéd and pretentious lyrics. Their homepage describes them, without a hint of irony, as "a bunch of scuzzy, city crawling electronic rock deviants hooked on dark nights of depravity, Krautrock and literary pornography." With lyrics such as "Take me down to the dreary basement where the sun never ever shines / and show me where you spent the days that killed the smile in your eyes" it's not surprising that the highlight of the record is actually the instrumental "Sleepless nights #11", which injects a dose of organ-driven melancholy (not unlike Det Gamla Landet) into the middle of the record.
- Viktor Ålander

Fri, Sep 28th, 2007 00:00:00

120 Days
s/t
Vice/Smalltown Supersound

Fuller roots less blip more beat as 120 Days hawks Andrew Weatherall as their own, with a little Josh Wink element to a few of the tracks. Lovely deep, a bit much of the drum club circa 1994 downward distortion on vox and metallic plates of guitar all programmed to the nines. Track by track and step by step, the beats are pretty are well thought out, but the record lacks at least a missive and feels a bit indulgent, not least the 11 minute finale. That said, 120 Days comes recommended to those who enjoy the likes of Primal Scream, Kasabian. Fav tracks are the long intro and relative straight edged "Come out (come down, fade out, be gone)". Stellar stand-out track is "Be mine", a spiritualized, or even leftfield infected memory.
- Jason Christie

Mon, Sep 18th, 2006 00:00:00