The World Was A Mess, But His Hair Was Perfect

The Rakes. Fuck, they're cool. No?

Alan Donohoe, that be the singer if you didn't know, is like a new and improved, sexed up to the max Jarvis Cocker.

The album, Capture/Release, was forever the top CD on the "most listened" pile by my stereo and I once nearly walked out of a pub where my friend was playing live for the first with her band because they did a fuck awful version of Strasbourg. I had to settle for hiding at the bar because deep down I'm just too nice a person to desert a mate in their time of need - and need me they did because the venue was pissing empty.

Seeing them (Rakes - not friend's band, please keep up) live last May was the gigging highlight of my year, and I saw The Pipettes in September, dude, so they had some stiff competition.
Throwing out elbows, jerking his knees, knocking back beer and admitting that they were "off to take some drugs" before the final two songs....I spent an hour captivated by the energetic and tight set that got everyone, and I mean everyone, dancing like kangeroos on acid. Also, I was pretty aroused. Heh. For a very fleeting moment I considered running to the toilet and taking off my stripey knickers so I could throw them at Alan. Then it was all over and I came back down with a thud, sitting on the tube home playing Work Work Work on repeat, trying to relive the excellence of their live performance by unable to capture it properly.

I always get that with live music. The minute I walk out of a venue, I forget all the best bits about it and am left feeling a bit underwhelmed. Not because the music was bland or unremarkable, just because....well, it's all over innit? The thumping in your chest has died, the excited bubble in your belly burst and there's no longer any music to thrash your head or stomp your feet to and you're just left feeling a bit empty, smelling faintly of beer and sweat as you make your way home. At least that's how it is for me.

But goodness of goodness, I'm going to see them again in March. Whoop! I'm seeing Hot Puppies and Jamie T between now and then, but finding out I'm going to see The Rakes (*swoon*) again has left me giddy with glee. And in need of some new stripey knickers.

So, to get us all, but mostly me because I'm seeing them live and you're probably not, in the mood let's listen to The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect. Taken from forth coming album (out 19th March fact fans) Ten New Messages.

The Rakes, everybody!

Pre-order Ten New Messages from Amazon here.