In the midst of what has to be a state of emotional chaos comes the debut for Ra Ra Riot, a now five-piece chamber rock act that recently endured the unexplained death of drummer, John Pike, after a party just weeks before the band’s debut EP was set for release. After forming in the Syracuse area, the band had begun to develop their name and sound, touring with Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and recording the self-titled EP.
Fortunately there is no confusion regarding Riot’s sound, a musically tight-knit collage of indie rock and strings that forms the orchestral backdrop for Wesley Miles’ Sting-like vocal. “Dying Is Fine” provides six minutes of the band’s best material, relying on Matheiu Santos’ bouncing bass line to bouy the violin and building electric riffs that, by song’s end, provide a satisfying climax. “Ghost Under Rocks” finds Miles a bit too understated, but the morose pop on display is outright compelling.
Ra Ra Riot might turn out to be one of the best debut EPs of the year, showcasing a band whose better days are ahead, even if it doesn’t seem that way right at the moment.
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