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All Too Human
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by Kev Kharas
  • Type: Single
  • Release date: 27/02/2006
  • Label: V2

'All Too Human'…? Perhaps. The Rakes have never been the most charismatic of bands. Here, as ever, they are needy, neurotic and half-cut. Alan swoons his way inoffensively through bleeping, lilting verses which find balance to be more and more of a challenge as the song moves through one minute, two minutes, three minutes of sweaty familiarity. Every so often a chorus punches its way into the song but you can't help but feel that, given the chance, the boys would opt to retire to corner booths and pints of house ale rather than deal with these outbursts of Stella-crunked lairiness.

The Rakes may no longer live the lives of city boys, but they display all the precision of the office environment. This song, typical of The Rakes, is bled through the square mile; it sounds like those big glass buildings look, imperiously sucking up the surrounding environment so as to become almost invisible. Lasse beats drums cut smart and sharp as a pin-prick, Jamie looks like he has the potential for cheekiness, but instead gives in and his bass is suffocated under Matthew Swinnerton's guitar which, though likely to nod heads, is not going to test any pulses.

Last year’s 'Capture/ Release' was one of my favourites but if The Rakes insist on sticking so closely to their job description, then I will ham up the role of spoon-fed middle class consumer. Do more Rakes, do more! I thought no-one in the city was supposed to be honest anyway.

  • The Rakes 6 / 10
Words: Kev Kharas

At first

I thought this was really quite average, but it's grown on me like some kind of horrible rash

I therefore conclude that this is a good song


Never the most charismatic?

Bollocks, dear sir, bollocks.


I thought The Rakes...

...epitomised the anti-intellectual stance of most NME bands. Tours sponsored by Topman, videos featuring consumate amounts of alcohol and lots and lots of talk about pubs/jobs/everyday life (not that there's necessarily anything wrong with that). Then they go and write a song with a title taken from Nietzsche.

That said, it is fucking terrible.


and why

does their singer feel the need to sport a Gary Neville moustache?


The Rakes aren't anti-intellectual!

and they certainly aren't uncharismatic. In all of their interviews they come across as extremely well read chaps who just happen to also like destroying themselves with alcohol. I'm not really a fan of their music, but they are a million miles away from the blokey blokey music of Hard-Fi.


fair enough

I know far too little about them, really.

That Gary Neville moustache is still inexcusable, though.


I liked it

Not as good as Retreat (what could be?) but pretty good nevertheless. Must get the album rather than just downloading random songs of theirs.


its one of the better

Rakes songs. Retreat was horrible but this is pretty good. Good video as well.


What?

First of all, I do not recall Gary Neville (Right Back for Manchster United and England) ever sporting a moustache, you might mean Neville Southall who does indeed have lip coverage. Second of all, Alan Donohoe of The Rakes has no moustache. So erm...what was your point again?


this review is

spot on.


This is...

Rubbish. Gutted!