The Rakes
Retreat
Dim Mak

At first glance and listen the Rakes are just another group of UK fancy boys jumping on a bandwagon piloted by Franz Ferdinand and accompanied by fellow passengers Maximo Park and Futureheads. However, after a second listen and a second take, one comes to realize, while the Rakes aren't doing anything ground breaking (the angular rhythms of Wire and Suicide by way of the Pete Shelly inspired guitar work), boy do they do it well.

With five songs and one remix, the disc is perfect for a quick listen or two as you get ready to go out and hit the dance floor. From the opening chords of the title track and it's jerky, staccato rhythms, the need for eye liner, make out sessions and sweaty dance-like movements is apparent. The sentiment of the lyrics are that of any standard UK dance group; work, lust, repetition. A standard formula that never seems to fail.

The beauty of the Rakes is their ability to take a stagnant sound and make it sound just fresh enough so that it's not immediately disposable. It's catchy enough to avoid obnoxiousness, but obnoxious enough to remain sharp and angular. In other words, it's catchy enough to dance and sing along to, but just obtuse enough to remain " -Bobby M