“Retreat”
from the album Capture/Release
2005
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Webster’s defines a rake as “a dissolute, debauched man.” Given this definition, you might say that the Rakes are a textbook example of appropriate nomenclature. The Rakes are no stranger to debauchery, offering up plenty of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll (oh, and whole lot of drinking too) on the excellent, 1980s-infused Capture/Release. Standard fare, but hardly standard presentation.
Owing nearly as much to bands like the Specials and Madness as they do to the typical Britpop icons idolized and emulated by so many new bands, the Rakes have been cruelly overlooked when it comes to the latest crop of “It” Brits. They keep things powerful and spare, relying on brash guitars and Alan Donohoe’s bipolar blend of sleazy and cheeky vocals to carry the load. The Rakes come at you hard and fast. Capture/Release is seemingly over in the blink of an eye — it clocks in at a mere 34 minutes. But then, time flies when you’re listening to such goodness.
The vast majority of those 34 minutes is spent on some sort of libertinism with an underlying threat of violence. From “Retreat” comes the mantra of thousands of hedonistic hipsters — “might as well go out for the fifth night in a row.” Among the best songs on Capture/Release, “The Guilt” laments a one-night stand brought on by (yet) another night of inebriation. “Terror!” is a Specials-infused, quicktime “Ghost Town” for 2005, in no way suggesting being under the influence of illegal substances. The remaining time on the album is devoted to the futility of everyday life, and the bane of most would-be lushes — work. “22 Grand Job” examines various paybands for “city” jobs, “Work, Work, Work (Pub, Club, Sleep)” details the repetitive, vicious circle of working and going out (“I just drift along with no focus or meaning”), and several other tracks touch upon the necessary evil that is a 9 to 5.
Capture/Release is not just a blueprint for bad behavior, but the Rakes’ testament to city life as they see it: frustration over a job, regret over a one-night stand, the attempt to stay clued-in on the “scene,” and the excessive consumption of booze and various classes of drugs.