na: ra ra riot
Quite a few terrific new releases today (after a long dry spell), but there’s one in particular that I wanted to point out — the fantastic debut full-length from New Yorkers Ra Ra Riot.
I’ve already gushed about this record in my review, so I don’t want to overdo it. If there’s anything further I want to communicate, it’s that this record is possessed by an incredible spirit of joy. For a band that’s suffered so much over the course of the last few years, they’ve come out the other side still breathless and bursting with optimism. I’d highly recommend the record — I’ve listened to it almost every day since I first got it.
I got to talk to Ra Ra cellist Alexandra Lawn last week while she was doing some grocery shopping in downtown New York — you can learn a bit more about the band by reading some excerpts from that conversation here.
Some other good stuff showed up today worth mentioning: The Uglysuit (love this!), Jeff Hanson, Brothers & Sisters, Lovely Sparrows, The Walkmen.
Great recommendation, Joe! I completely missed the earlier EP, too. Very nice to get that one as well, for the additional tracks, and to hear how they’ve grown. Also kind of interesting to note that the darker, rawer Ghost Under Rocks closes the EP, and in a fuller version opens the LP. Wonderful stuff. Thanks!
Cosmic alignment! By coincidence (or a concentrated marketing effort?) this album also received a glowing review in today’s Washington Post. So I just had to download the album and the previous EP.
Another cosmic alignment is that the Daytrotter RSS alerted me to an interview and live recording of a couple of songs from said ep. Can’t help but hear Vampire Weekend!
http://www.daytrotter.com/article/1029/free-songs-ra-ra-riot
This is just a lovely little recommendation. I’m always so happy when something gets put up that just sounds different but well put together. I really do feel like some days I’m just listening to the same album by a different band. What treat this is.