“rondelles”
The Rondelles
The Fox
Teenbeat
This may be getting a bit long in the tooth – it was released early Fall of last year – but it’s so tasty that it would be a shame to see it slip by unnoticed. The Rondelles could have come straight out of the ’80s – think of girl-powered bands like the early Go Gos, the Waitresses, and Romeo Void, and you’ll get a good idea of the sounds involved here. Part of it comes from guitarist/vocalist Juliet’s winsome voice, but a big chunk derives from the tight interplay between the guitar, drums, bass, and keyboard. Drummer Oakley also handles Casio duties, playing his three-piece kit with one hand and banging on the keyboard with the other. Tracks like “It’s Neverending” build up from simple rock riffs, exploding into a combination of sounds that is rich and satisfying. With plenty of sass and a groove any techno band would find hard to beat, the Rondelles manage to be retro without sounding dated.
Teenbeat, P.O. Box 390898, Cambridge, MA 02139; http://www.teenbeatrecords.com/
