Ra Ra Riot - "The Rhumb Line" Analysis

On the first day of fall, the first day that the breeze has a little bite to it that is, the first day the leaves begin to accumulate, the first day the sun starts setting at 6:30, the first day you don't need the air conditioning in your car - on that day, make sure you have Ra Ra Riot's The Rhumb Line. It's a summer record for the colder months, if that makes sense. Often dancable, but always lush in it's arrangements. Better suited for the first lazy day of Winter Break with friends than lounging by the pool, and those are my favorite kind of records.

Ra Ra Riot would have you think they're just a fun dance band. I mean, their name is Ra Ra Riot, after all, but that is a complete fallacy. The best way to describe a Ra Ra Riot song would be words like "Orchestral," "up-tempo," or "hooky." The formula seems to be this: An immediately gripping hook, speedy, double-time-on-the-high-hat drums, knotty guitar riffs, Cursive meets Heifetz orchestral violin part, melodic bass line, end. And that's a winning combination no matter how you spin it.

Over the course of 37 minutes you'll discover a snowy day anthem to play when the fireplace needs lighting in Winter '05 - a symphony of sleigh bells, violin, and clean electric guitar, A made for fast late-night driving anthem in Ghost Under Rocks, one to add to your party mix in the synthy Of Montreal meets Jens Too Too Too Fast, and a lesson in melody writing in Suspended in Gaffa.

[mp3] Ra Ra Riot - Dying is Fine

Pre-order The Rhumb Line from Insound - Best 12 bucks you'll spend this week.