Another slice of humble pie to eat or maybe another slice of new band pie which for this particular reviewer has a most uniquely exquisite taste to it. Utterly moreish, devoured in seconds, with only a few flakes of pastry left on an otherwise empty plate. The hunger for such morsels of a devilishly tasty new band are totally justified when you find gems like this! A soon as I heard She's Got Standards I was enthralled! It was as simple as that.
Take a bow The Rifles, debut album No Love Lost is a Jam-influenced, fast rocking, angst ridden gem of an album. The album is defined by main points, first and foremost the songs. Each of the eleven tracks concurs with the blindingly obvious fact that this album is bristling with ideas and thoughts, views and opinions that would make even the hardest Jam fan take a second and more scrupulous look at this new wonder.
The album revolves around the rock ethics, fast pumping guitar riffs, supported by deep bellowing bass lines and a slow but evenly thumping drum beat. Everything and everything that a guitar band wants to aspire to! Dripping with sentimentality and the sense of irony and the cruel twist of the bitter truth, the album delves through standards, people of the community, finding someone to share one of life's most precious experiences with, longing for home, trying to get away from all the madness that life throws at you, to retreat into a cosy little haven and so much more.
One of the boldest songs on the album is Spend A Lifetime. Think The Jam's That's Entertainment and your not far off. Acoustic guitar based ballad which has that endearing yet thought provoking bitter sweet truth to it. The element of realizing what you've got, to hold dear that entity and to savior it even more.
The essense of each song falls neatly between the hard living, almost punk-esqe qualities of The Libertines and the early pioneering punk-angst values, views and ideas of The Jam. The Rifles fall neatly in the middle, taken most of the latter as a guide and the spirit and passion of the former to create gems such as Local Boy, One Night Stand and Home Town Blues. You are then inturn allowed to see the otherside of the coin, in that away from the hurly burly in tight, out of sight, anger-fuelled, drink-related fun, the masterminds at work. The thoughtful, humble, intelligent souls which create such works of art as Peace and Quiet, She's The Only One and When I'm Alone.
The album overall, to sum up, the complete evaluation, screams out for attention, and Attention is what you have to give it! By the bucket load, I've already heard this eleven track wonder dozens of times and I've never once, even thought of pressing the STOP button! It's a classic debut album which will make this band reach out and receive the massive, by the coach load shake them all by the hand and thanking them personally for supporting and ultimately craving their work. The Rifles remember this name!