Ra Ra Riot
It's not often you stumble across a danceable indie rock band with a cello and violin. Even if you do, chances are the music won't be half as good as Ra Ra Riot.
Formed in 2006 as an energetic chamber pop sextet, Ra Ra Riot quickly caught the attention of national media and secured recognition with a self titled EP.
With their latest release, Ra Ra Riot join label mates Death Cab For Cutie and Rilo Kiley on Barsuk Records. "The Rhumb Line," released in August 2008, is a mature debut full length and sophisticated effort from this talented group, bringing to life an intense realism in a characteristically positive light. Fresh off a European tour with Los Campesinos! and Vampire Weekend, Ra Ra Riot is getting hotter by the minute and promises only greater things to come.
Their songs range from upbeat, catchy, Converse-tapping tunes to thoughtful, haunting melodies. The music is well-orchestrated and layered with lingering melodies weaving warm earmuffs you'll never want to remove.
But as their music might tell you, it hasn't been all major keys for this Syracuse sextet. The group has endured a couple of heartbreaks, including the devastating loss of founding member and creative force, drummer John Ryan Pike in 2007, and the theft of years worth of creativity in the form of notebooks, journals, computers and demos last year in Montreal.
But on they went, using music as a healing tool. Their tenacity has paid off in a big way. Their energetic live performance, which earned them a reputation and buzz at last year's SXSW festival, only seals the deal.
In short, it's tough not to like this band. I've never listened to "a frothing cauldron of gruel," but according to the band's Myspace page, that's exactly what they sound like. Somebody get me a cauldron. NICHOLAS GRIZZLE
