Ra Ra Riot First Thoughts, And… Wait A Minute – Is That A Cellist?!

So if it hasn’t been made perfectly clear: I’m generally an electronica slut. A man-slut, but a slut nonetheless. I just can’t get enough of the twitchy, tweaky, and yet soothing tones that manage to be produced and put into rhythm. However, even as I drool over something a synthesizer vomited up, I have a few uncharacteristic loves that fight for equal play. Enya and Feist are classic examples, but Dido (electronica influenced, but more alternative I think) and a few others creep up every now and again. Well, my friends, I have added another group to this distinguished and exclusive club: Ra Ra Riot.

Using an actual cello (Alexandra Lawn) and violin (Rebecca Zeller) to add that interesting depth to what could otherwise be just another quasi-folk band plucking away at a guitar, Ra Ra Riot managed to make a spot for itself in my collection almost immediately. I simply adore strings so any rock band that can incorporate a cellist almost immediately gets my accolades, but add to that a fast-ish tempo sound with a talented lead singer (Wes Miles) and you get musical demi-gods.

Wes has an uncommonly high vocal range in my opinion. It may not be for the genre, and it could easily be that I’m just more used to female vocalists but I think it’s unusual for a guy who doesn’t seem to be working in falsetto. It’s amazing – don’t get me wrong. Just… different.

The tone of the album is uplifting which puts it at stark contrast to what I imagine the prevailing mood of the band would have been after the tragic drowning of the band’s original drummer (and founding member), John Pike. Pike is credited with originally penning much of their recently released full album “The Rhumb Line” adding a certain depth to such songs as “Ghost Under Rocks” and “Dying Is Fine.”

The crowd favorite for this album seems to be “Can You Tell” which while not available on Last.fm does have an official version on YouTube:

What to take away…

Ra Ra Riot is comprised of incredibly talented artists and creates unique indie-rock music which should manage to find its way into any home. This music would be equally enjoyable while conducting spring cleaning or while chatting with friends – it’s powerful music, but not cloying.

What should you expect?

Soothing music with a fast tempo, a talented male vocalist, and string. Strings!!!

Favorite song?

While I’m still absorbing all there is to this band/album, so far I think my taste is lingering around “Ghost Under Rocks” mostly because it has a truly stunning opening which gives it a small boost against the rest. It reminds me of a theme song from Little Miss Sunshine for some reason…

What to pair Ra Ra Riot with?

Hmmm… I find this comparison difficult. Lets see – gin and juice. Maybe something tropical? Gin (in moderation) and peach-mango. Too much gin and you’d kill the combination, but just enough and I think the unique character created would be an adequate allusion to how Ra Ra Riot tackles indie-rock.