Album Details

• Artist: The Raveonettes
• Album: In And Out Of Control
• Label:
• Year of Release: 2009
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: tosnob on 2009-10-28

If you own any of the previous Raveonettes albums you will not be surprised by what you hear. From the opener "Bang" on through we are presented with the pair's typical concoction of '60s wall of sound pop and dark Jesus & Mary Chain-inspired fuzz rock.

It's a sound that seems to be growing more and more formulaic in the band's music. Sometimes, like on the glimmering "Gone Forever", it works.

All too often however, it's a tired sound that we've heard before. In those instances the songs aren't bad per se, they simply have no reason to exist. Why listen to a Girl Group elegy like "Oh I Buried You Today" or the artificially restrained "D.R.U.G.S." when you have dozens of past Raveonettes songs that fill the same sonic role.

There are a couple of tragic missteps as well. "Last Dance" and "Boys Who Rape (Should Be Destroyed)" are far too sugary. This is particularly the case with the latter, whose sickly sweet melodies are far too incongruous with the heavy subject matter.

The album does have some bright spots. "Breaking Into Cars" has a mild Brit Pop influences, evoking memories of Elastica, while the white noise burst groove of "Break Up Girls" builds an intense platform for the subtly infectious track.

In the end, In and Out of Control is far from the most essential album in The Raveonettes catalogue.

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