REVIEW: The Rake's Progress, Cheese Food Prostitute (hifi)
- Bob Gajarsky
Has it really been 20 years since the Ramones, New York Dolls and Blondie called New York home? Why has there been such a drought of good bands, with only a few such as Sonic Youth and Helmet breaking out from the Big Apple? I can't answer these questions, but in the spirit of the radio-friendly pop-rock of the Spin Doctors, New York is offering up another tasty palate of music, Cheese Food Prostitute, by the five man band known as the Rake's Progress.
The Rake's Progress sound as if they've been practicing the 3 R's. These 3 R's don't include reading, writing and 'rithmetic, but the influence of three of my own favorite acts - the (now defunct) Rainmakers, early R.E.M. and the (younger) Rolling Stones.
Rake's Progress define their own music in terms of "alternative soul", which also bears some similarities to Cracker. But this *isn't* Cracker soul, or "Low", even though lead singer Tim Cloherty wants you to "Sell me something, get me high" on the leadoff track, "You Must Be on Drugs". Incorporating a touch of the Manchester madness with some old time rock and soul yields a good time on this track.
The five piece band take their name from a series of etchings by William Hogarth, which depicts a wealthy young man who squanders his inheritance on wine, women and song and eventually winds up penniless in an insane asylum.
At a recent performance in New York City, the Rake's Progress played more than 20 songs (their E.P. highlights only six of them) including a cover of the Clash's "Seventh Stranger"; they have been known to throw in other unusual cover selections as well.
Although this E.P. is on the independent hifi (yes, in lower-case) label and might be hard to track down, it's easily worth the effort. The band will also issue a full-length release next March on Almo. For now, however, I can't take Cheese Food Prostitute out of my disc player, and if you like irresistible, intelligent hooks, I bet you won't be able to either.
