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The Rumble Strips - Cardboard Coloured Dreams
Reviewed by Helen on 13th January 2007
When a band makes it into the BBC's top ten 2007 musical watchlist ("compiled using tips from critics and broadcasters"), it's probably worth reviewing them at some point just in case. When they make into the iTunes 2007 "Hotly Tipped..." online compliation, well, you confirm your date with Rawkstar and book a table at the internet cafe.
The Rumble Strips are okay. They're not really that exciting, given the above hype. Plinky-plonky, quirky, eccentric, and rather prettily ska. "Oh Creole" is persuasive, but not really edgy, and not significantly different to any single made by anyone like The Strokes/The Hives/The Kooks/any other band starting with "The". Outside is driving rain / Inside the music's playin', you get the general idea.
It really doesn't help that the lead singer sounds just like Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand, but with less character - and so, unfortunately, The Rumble Strips don't have the individuality or the sheer oomph to pull off anything pretty by comparison.
It's a shame. With a little imagination they could pull themselves out of the biological soup that is generic UK indie-kid music. And, whoops, I think I forgot their name already. Oh well.
If you want to make your own mind up, they're playing Shepherds Bush Empire on the 26th Feb (near me) - why not join the one fan registered on their website that's going?
Rating: 4/10
Website: www.therumblestrips.com
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