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Chain Gang Of Love
08/27/2003 10:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Bill Holdship
If you've ever loved rock 'n' roll—and especially if you're a student of rock 'n' roll (and, by association, teenage) history—it would seem to me that you'd absolutely have to adore this album. The Danish duo behind the Raveonettes threw Phil Spector, the Shangri-La's, the Beach Boys, the Jesus & Mary Chain, Buddy Holly, the Cramps, the Everly Brothers, and one could go on and on (in other words, that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg) into a big blender and came up with this splendid pop feast. The Raveonettes are not just aware of their influences, they celebrate them—and they actually brought legendary producer Richard Gottehrer out of retirement to help with the celebration. Gottehrer's presence means that this debut album isn't half as dark as last year's mini-album, Whip It On, although it's every bit as exciting, building on the promise of that great "Attack Of The Ghost Riders" single. This is 33 minutes of pure pop bliss; there isn't a bad song or a missed opportunity anywhere here. It's the best girl group pastiche since the Prissteens released a mostly ignored but still terrific album in the late '90s—and if you genuinely love rock 'n' roll, it would seem to me that Chain Gang Of Love would have to be one of your favorite albums of 2003.
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