The Rumble Strips - 'Welcome to the Walk Alone' (Island) Released 13/07/09

lost in an oblivion of over-production and over-blown emotion, The Rumble Strips have failed to deliver...

July 22, 2009 by Chris Reynolds

The Rumble Strips - 'Welcome to the Walk Alone' (Island) Released 13/07/09

The Rumble Strips Tickets

If you consider the extraordinary success that Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ achieved under Mark Ronson’s production, it's little surprise that The Rumble Strips were only too happy to let Mr Ronson take stewardship of their second album ‘Welcome to the Walk Alone’. Ronson’s work for Winehouse spawned million after million of album sales, but let’s not forget that The Rumble Strips aren’t Amy Winehouse.

However, that’s not to say there aren’t likenesses. The Rumble Strips second long player is as retro as Winehouse’s second album and vocalist Charlie Waller has almost as distinctive voice as the illustrious female singer. But the immediate feeling here is that Ronson has aimed to spawn the same success he did from Winehouse with the Strips. Surely if you then throw in some Franz Ferdinand atmospherics and Last Shadow Puppets style you’re onto a winner then? Well not exactly.

Lead single ‘Not the Only Person’ is beefed-up production-wise but has a simple and rather forgettable chorus which slips from the memory by the time the next track plays. ‘Dem Girls’ and ‘Raindrops’ are boring and lacklustre, imitating the Zutons and attempting to squeeze out some overdue heart on sleeve passion. At times it feels like the mega production job has sucked the very soul out of this record.

There are a few reasons to be cheerful though. ‘London’ is a fast paced pop track which pulls of the retro style in spades while ‘Running on Empty’ could be plucked straight out of a Western as the final shootout occurs. The dramatic guitar and sinister bass give you a shot in the arm and make you feel like there’s life in there somewhere.

Overall though, ‘Welcome to the Walk Alone’ is stained with the influences of the current indie scene, Dexys Midnight Runners (of course) and the retro success of Ronson's tour-de-force 'Back To Black'. It doesn’t flow smoothly and it’s just a bit, well, flat.

The retro-chic has been lost in an oblivion of over-production and over-blown emotion and the consequence is that the Strips have spectacularly failed to deliver.

You can keep up to date with all the latest news from Gigwise by following us on Twitter and liking us on Facebook.

(3)

I love this album! The above comments are entitled to be made of course, but having listened to this album at least twenty times I am finding the infectious sound of genius that is missing from the rest of the indie scene. The Strips are simmering at the moment and are waiting to boil over into mass appeal. It is certain to happen if they can keep up this quality.
~ by Explorer 45 7/27/2009 Report
I agree, the Strips are quality and have been unlucky not to break earlier. Their emotion and energy is even more infectious live, they should have been nominated for a Mercury. I hear they're headlining this Friday night at an awesome, intimate festival, just outside London, called Standon Calling.
~ by WilliamTrench 7/27/2009 Report
i've seen them live, and it is something that should not be missed,they are brilliant ,charlie sounds incredible
~ by tusik 8/27/2009 Report