Released 4th May 2009
Talk about bringing your work home with you. After a long hard day pulling pints and making small talk with arseholes, I return home to find a Gobshout delivery waiting on my doormat. The CD that stands out the most is the Drinking Den EP by Rieser. Why you ask? Because the CD sleeve has their own personalised beer coaster on it, and the track run times are cleverly labelled as ale percentages. It brought a smile. Finally, a review where I can link in rubbish drinking references.
Rieser (said as Riser, not as is John Arne) are an Edinburgh quartet who have supported The View and The Young Knives, as well as being one of Music News Scotland’s Top 4 Artists last year. That’s no small feat, considering the seemingly uncountable amount of quality bands emanating from north of the border. Musically they sound like a number of bands all at once, without copying any one too closely. A likeable cocktail of sound it is too (pun intended). It’s good indie-rock through and through, but the main thing you notice is just how good it sounds. Chris Blair’s voice is crystal clear and poignant, the guitars are brilliantly understated, and it all just sounds so damn accomplished.
Opening song Drinking Den, with its barrage of trippy guitars, holds a hypnotic sway over you (in a good way, not a Derren Brown way). But second song The Actor is a champagne corker of a song (see?). It’s a song that’s really a sad story, and songs like this are hard to find these days. The line “so soon discovered, just that soon forgotten/Standing ovation, here’s the actor” lingers in the brain like a memorable guest ale does on the palate (I recommend Doom Bar). It’s really Something Very Special (that’s a cocktail by the way). Puns aside, it’s remarkable.
In direct contrast, Call Me Round is confusing, with its verses airy and cheery-sounding, but with a chorus that turns evil as the song progresses. And final song The Ringmaster is particularly distinctive for its circus themed guitar as much as being another good listen. The guitars come to the fore in this song, and they are striking, imposing a touch of menace without going over the top. It’s just really very pleasing to listen to, and as a whole, Rieser are utterly quaffable.
Posted In Album Reviews, Apr 22 2009.
Words - Paul