Lola Ray, I Don’t Know You

I’ve run out of ways to describe what bands sound like. And if you think about it, telling you that one band sounds like another is really a worthless observation. So for the purposes of this review, let’s just say that if you put Lola Ray on a bill with any of today’s ’80s-inspired bands, they would fit right in.

I love bands that understand that you should put your best songs at the beginning of your CD. In these days of microscopic attention spans, the average listener is not going to sit around while you try to lure them in with your slow, sensitive side. It seems that Lola Ray are working off a similar philosophy. They put their best foot forward with “Plague (We Need No Victims)” to start off the disk. It’s full of the kind of sporadic chugging chords that give many of their contemporaries their drive — if you can envision an American version of Franz Ferdinand, then you’re halfway there. “What It Feels Like” appears at number two and is easily the best song of the lot. The vocals are compelling, the music builds to a crescendo at the right time, and you feel satisfied at the end.

“She’s A Tiger,” though, follows up the strong start of the first two songs but comes across as an out-of-place love song. Sadly, Lola Ray aren’t as interesting when they slow things down. I know that bands have to have their breather moments, but this one just doesn’t make you want to keep listening. They come back to form on “Automatic Girl,” a decent rocker that never quite rewards the listeners’ anticipation. As you approach the back of the bus, there’re a few gems to look forward to. “One By One” does a nice XTC impersonation at the beginning before hitting the mark as a solid, melodic rock song. If you make it as far as “Slave,” second to last on the CD, you’ll find a commercially viable track that shows off the band’s strengths: upbeat tempos, intriguing vocals, and cleverly placed space.

It’s a good effort from a band that is full of promise. Is it worth your bucks to buy? Maybe. It’s just a gut feeling, but I think that they could be the real deal in the future.