Review: The Raveonettes, "Lust Lust Lust"

The Raveonettes are well-known, at least in an underground sense, for their unique brand of retro-chic indie rock. Every element of their image and sound is a nod to a bygone era, as any photo shoot with band members Sharin Foo and Sune Rose Wagner will show. Their debut EP Whip It On and first full album Chain Gang of Love were crafted with self-imposed key restrictions (B-flat minor and major, respectively) and a rule of songs not running over three minutes. Their sound, relying heavily on noise, distortion and multiple layers of guitar, recalled rock instrumentation of the 50s and 60s, and quickly caught on thanks to catchy tunes like "That Great Love Sound" and "Heartbreak Stroll." While Pretty In Black continued their kitsch factor and broadened their sound, it didn't really bring them into the mainstream as it should have. As a result, they stepped back and reevaluated their sound, returning last year with the career-defining Lust Lust Lust.

On first listen, Lust Lust Lust is not a particularly outstanding record. The songs seem to run into each other and few standouts linger in the listener's mind. Given another chance, and with the volume turned up, the album really begins to unfold, though. The duo have this time thrown out any superficial restrictions, instead focusing on the singular theme of lust and its utter destruction of love. The distortion level has been maximized, so the songs are best heard as close to full volume as possible, allowing the layers of sound to blend and resonate. From the opening beats of "Aly, Walk With Me" it's clear that Lust Lust Lust will stick with you. "Hallucinations" picks up where the haunting opener left off, with riffs as catchy as any of Foo or Wagner's vocals. Song for song, the entire first side (of the vinyl, which is what I've been listening to the album on) is flawless. "Dead Sound," the first single, is as alive as anything they or many of their contemporaries have recorded. "Blush" and "Lust" take the arresting wall-of-sound guitars and couple them with heartbreaking lyrics about the negative power of desire. On side two, things change tone with the upbeat "You Want The Candy," the excellent second single released from the record. "My Heartbeat's Dying" and "The Beat Dies" help end the album on a reflective and slightly melancholy note. As soon as it's through playing, you'll want to hear it again and again. While Lust Lust Lust may not immediately grab you, with a bit of time you won't be able to get enough. This will be on my playlist for quite some time! The US release was just released last week, while the UK and Europe have already had the album for three months. To sweeten the deal, the US issue includes bonus tracks "My Heartbeat's Dying" and "Honey, I Never Had You." It's pretty frustrating, though, for those of us who already bought the album as a pricey import (whatever, my vinyl copy came with super-awesome 3D glasses, so top that!).

The Raveonettes, "Hallucinations" [YSI]
The Raveonettes, "Blush" [YSI]
The Raveonettes, "You Want The Candy" [YSI]

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