The Rakes - Retreat
[Moshi Moshi]

An offering that is sprightlier than a spring fox liberated by new legislation, has been selected by lead man Alan Donohue and co to wet appetites for their debut album due to be released later this year. The influences of Wire, Joy Division and The Jam pour out in ‘Retreat’, wherein the clanging instrumentals sit in nicely with Donohue’s compelling narrative, as the cyclical lyrics about life's mundane routine are delivered with clarity. B-side ‘Dark Clouds’, uncovers a Morrissey natured bleakness and depth when the topic of human life and the waste of it are come to terms with by this East London quartet;

“After the suicide my girl’s brother and I tried to stay dry;
from those dark clouds. Those dark clouds seemed to follow us all.”

A foray into the frenetic live experience of The Rakes completes this single when a version of previous single ‘Strasbourg’, recorded at Rough Trade makes for a punky and clattering garage rock style conclusion.