Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: The Rumble Strips – “Time”

Someone has finally been brave enough to take up the mantle of Dexys Midnight Runners. UK’s the Rumble Strips deliver uptempo, criminally joyful pop. At first listen, it is quite tempting to mistake them for a Dexys’ clone…but in fact, they share just as many similarities with those infamous Dexys’-covering third-wavers in Save Ferris.

The Rumble Strips’ sound is a frothy blend of passionate old soul, infectious and kinetic vocals in the vein of Dexys’ Kevin Rowland and the horn-blaring energy, tempos and plucky positivity of third-wave ska. It is likely one of the happiest records you’ll hear all year, grinning from ear-to-ear…we’re talking laughing to tears happy. This is both the album’s greatest strength and reflexively its greatest weakness.

When the pieces fall into place, tracks soar. The playful and hilarious “Alarm Clock” is an endearing, animated frolic through the mundane morning routine we all go through, and the torture inflicted upon us by the dreaded machine. “Time” is soulful and anachronistic, complete with backup “whoa oh” harmonizing vocals and careening horn lines, inducing a deep and wondrous nostalgia trip. “Girls and Boys in Love” is an irresistible ode to love, vocals leading the way, propelled by twinkling keys, a nimble bass line and sing-along-prompting syncopated claps. The standout aspects of their music are likely what will make you love or hate them. The first is lead singer Charlie Waller’s urgent, effusive yelps and croons will either brighten your day or grate on you…I doubt there is any room in between. The second is that each song is filled with a giddy infectiousness, making for spirited, bright and breezy daydreams and joyrides.

Unfortunately, the Rumble Strips don’t know when to let up, frequently teetering on the edge of diabetic shock. The accumulation of saccharine sounds and near-boundless energy is almost too much to bear by the album’s close. This is an exhausting listen, and not in the best of ways. Fortunately, there are plenty of gems to secure the album a place in your collection and is one of the more infectious and brightest releases in the past year. Let’s just hope they have a more balanced sophomore effort and allow themselves to explore their more relaxed and down-tempo influences (and maybe even a track that ISN’T happy). If they don’t they’ll go the path of their most prominent musical forefathers as one-hit wonders.

Related posts

1. Review: The Rumble Strips @ the Black Cat Backstage (2008.10.05)All photos: Klea Scharberg My take: I mention something about...
2. Vivian Girls are all over this town…We’ve extolled the virtues of Vivian Girls here before.  In...
3. Album Review: The Degenerettes – Bad Girls go to Hell (Creative Capitalism)Editor’s Note: This CD comes packaged with some great custom...
4. Parenthetical Girls get Deerhoof cover, extended tour news [Audio clip: view full post to listen] MP3: Parenthethical...
5. Album Review: Perhapst – Perhapst (In Music We Trust Records)[Audio clip: view full post to listen] MP3: Perhapst –...