The Raveonettes Head Into The Night

I've been following The Raveonettes since their Ghost Rider EP was first released and I can honestly say that in that time I don't think I've ever heard a bad song by these guys. They've personified what it means to be a garage pop band and have taken influences from Jesus and Mary Chain to groups like the Challengers and made their sounds an important part of theirs. Their latest single Into the Night is no different. In fact it's just about as perfect of a representation of surfy indie pop as you're going to get today. Perhaps a bit more like The Primitives than past efforts, Into The Night is a fizzy, buzzy single that's an ode to the letdowns of lost love.

Effervescent, distorted, and heartbroken Into the Night is distorted indie pop bliss. With syrupy sweet harmonies coming from both Sharin Foo and Sune Rose Wagner and a wall of sound that would make Phil Spector blush the band lay on the broken heart aspect of the songs thick here. The result of all this is four romantic songs for the thoroughly depressed. These songs hide their tears behind the fuzzed out guitars and their wall of noise; it’s a clever disguise to say the least. Into the Night is an awesome record that once again proves The Ravenoettes are on top of their game. While there's nothing really new about these songs from the sound department, the band still manage to create lovelorn, infectious pop songs that are so charming you can't help but succumb to them.

The Raveonettes are In and Out of Control

I'm not sure what the Raveonettes did during their hiatus between albums, but something tells me they rediscovered their Primitives records. The band's new album, In and Out Of Controlis so un-rock and roll and so unashamedly pop that it makes my head spin. While the Raveonettes have always toyed with the idea of writing pop songs, the grip of gritty, noisy, rock and roll always seemed to win out. Heck they even had Ronnie Spector sing on a record, but alas, the sheets of distortion and the grip of the Jesus and Mary Chain still dominated. Well no more and while I've always liked their rock and roll I absolutely adore their pop stuff.

In and Out Of Controlis like the desert after a hearty rock and roll dinner; absolute heaven. The record is sugar and spice and everything nice. Sure it still has it's rock and roll moments and yeah it still has the odd occasion of distorted bliss, but the record has huge pop hooks and Sharon Foo choruses all over it and you can't help but fall in love with every song they've come up with. As if to prove a point, when "Last Dance," drops it's like your heart skipping beats repeatedly...it's a shuffly, shy, and will make you fall in love; a truly awesome pop song and quite possibly the best single they've ever written.

Wow, I can't believe how great this album is. The Raveonettes have always been amazing and now it's like we're not even worthy of being in their presence. It's truly a sight to behold how this band can make anything sound sugary sweet and unbelievably good. I mean the band's song, "Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)," is as political as they come, but despite how serious the topic they wrap it up like a Christmas present that you really really want. The chorus is as hypnotic as it gets and will have you singing to yourself for hours.

Without a doubt, In and Out Of Control is one of the best albums of 2009. If you couldn't tell by the amount of gushing I've done here I really, really, really like this album. It's by far the best thing they've ever recorded and while they don't have a single bad tune amongst their five albums this just stands heads and shoulders above all their previous efforts. You should definitely do yourself a favor and buy In and Out Of Control without hesitation. Nothing embodies rock and roll, pop, and how good they both can be than this record. Awesome.