The Blakes – S/T

The Blakes – S/T / 2007 Light in the Attic / 13 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/theblakes / http://www.lightintheattic.net /

Light in the Attic have really came into the public eye in the last few months. Whether it be through the Summer Records Anthology or the countless reissues of older (forgotten) music, Light in the Attic are doing their own part to marry the current and past of music. The Blakes are one of these current acts, and this self-titled CD shows a same appreciation of the earlier and more current styles of music. The disc starts off with “Two Times”, which is a track that shows me that the act tries to sneak into prominence through the same retro rock style previously used by acts like The White Stripes and (to a lesser extent) The Strokes.

The sultry rock grind of “Two Times” is a perfect introduction for The Blakes, and is enough for them to be featured alongside acts like Franz Ferdinand (which they share a certain love for the angular with). What immediately benefits The Blakes is the short song length that is present in all of the tracks on this album. With the exception of “Streets”, all thirteen tracks of the album end before the three minute mark. This shortness, coupled with the catchy sound espoused by The Blakes, make them into a good candidate for being the “next big thing”. “Don’t Bother Me” moderates the sharpness of “Two Times” with a synthesizer and a little more of a dreamy approach than was previously prevalent. “Magoo” is a pure bit of late sixties rock, placed into the mode of The Rolling Stones and MC5. While The Blakes have added their own style to the general rock style mentioned previously, this track could easily make it to any classic rock station (and get individuals wondering what band from the past that “Magoo” came from).

There are songs that have a slower tempo on this self-titled album, but these songs all have some form of catchy hook or other sound present in them that keeps the momentum at a high level. The Blakes make a bouncy, fun rock album that has none of the pretension typically present in current music. While the classic rock style is hard to properly master, The Blakes make an album that matches that of the late sixties and early seventies. If you have any love for the art form, you’ll pick up this album and find a way to see The Blakes touring live.

Top Tracks: Run, Vampire

Rating: 7.2/10