The Rank Deluxe - You Decide [Album]

Fat Cat Records

March 22, 2009, 08:27 PM

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Fat Cat appear to be picking up more standard indie-rock fare recently (Frightened Rabbit, Brakes) amongst an eclectic roster but their relationship with The Rank Deluxe goes back to 2005. And, The Rank Deluxe (“the best of the worst”) come with a troubled history. Their history involves Libertines-style childhood friendship dissolving into rivalry and fist fights, prolonged attempts to capture and record this album, and according to Fat Cat’s biog they may have even permanently broken up before this, their debut record, is released.

The Libertines is a good reference in another way – a band adept at capturing the anger of an earlier age and welding it to a tight contemporary guitar sound. The band describe their sound as "sewage" a mixture of punk, indie-rock and reggae. At times this intense, rowdy music reminded me of the Arctic Monkeys relocated to Thamesmead and force-fed a soundtrack of The Specials and The Clash to sharpen their anger and social commentary. It certainly is an intense, rowdy punk-rock record – you don’t need me to unpack songs like “Straight Jacket”, “Stereotypes” and “Tightrope” do you? Even the title “You Decide” comes across as a confrontational challenge.

Given the slew of guitar bands currently, originality in this line of work can be in short supply. The Rank Deluxe do bring something to the party and it is more than just rage – a fierce dexterity and range of blended styles that lesser bands could not achieve. But there is something that holds me back from a whole-hearted recommendation – nothing misfires but I’m not sure the music lives on for me after the short-sharp-shock intensity of the moment. It’s a reviewer’s cop-out but they gifted it to me: You Decide.
Released 30 March.

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