Who? Noise Ratchet? Like me you could be left scratching your head if posed with the name of this Californian quintet. I’ll be honest and say that up until two weeks ago, I didn’t know this lot existed. But I’m really glad that I do now…
‘Till We Have Faces’ will surely be featuring in the best of polls come the end of the year. It’s a blisteringly tender emo record, with melody dripping from every single second. Released on The Militia Group label, it’s likely that Noise Ratchet could be following in ex-labelmates Rufio‘s footsteps and heading for the big leagues after just one indie outing.
‘Permenent Solution’ kicks things off in slightly rocky fashion, with vocalist Joel immediately coming across like a relative of Incubus’ Brandon Boyd. It’s emo/rock with singalong hooks and is most enjoyable, even if the track ends rather abruptly after just two minutes. Rather than carrying on the solid foundation the first couple of minutes layed down, the distortion kicks in and the song ends. It’s quite a bizarre opening and is the first, and only, real fault I can pick with this record. ‘Vanity’ is almost faultless, a brooding emotional number that hints at the likes of The Get Up Kids, without bordering over the pop-emo line. Instead the verses chug away before the melody of the chorus seeps into your brain and clings on for dear life.
There’s more of the same with ‘Game Over’ and the intricacies of ‘For You I’ll Be Forgetting Me’. Indeed the riffs in the latter are so bittersweet it makes it sound gorgeous, swooping from a fine fingerpicked line to a huge full-on effect. And the vocals are again majestic, sounding similar to Brandon Boyd but in a great way, as Joel sings “happy birthday to me,” with more than a hint of desperation. You think emo has lost its way? Then listen to this to reafirm your faith in the genre. ‘Disappear’ blends into a song with ease, following on from its predecessor almost seamlessly. Again it starts off with whispery vocals before the loud bits kick in, this time screams carry off the effect best. Once again the chorus will have you singing along in no time, with a hook the size of Holland.
Things get better still with the awesome ‘The Train’, which again is as brilliant lyrically as it is sonically. The verses again build up the anxiety into one brilliant chorus, possibly the best of a very good bunch. Coming off the back of such a great song, ‘Wardrobe’ was always going to be hard pushed to compete in the greatness stakes. And it has a real good go, but just isn’t quite as much of a scene-stealing effort. ‘End’ has a go as well, Joel’s vocals going into overdrive amongst a sea of crashing drums and guitar parts.
‘Away From You’ starts off heavier for all of five seconds, before mellowing out. But what some songs may lack in instant appeal, this track more than makes up for it with one of the catchiest choruses you’ll here this year. “Your fist broke the vein flowing straight to your heart,” is the impassioned plea the band make, and it really is gripping stuff. Another standout song amongst several classic tracks. Surely a stinker somewhere in here…but not with ‘My Day’, which although it does sound similar to some of the other songs here, is again absolutely outstanding. The dynamic quiet/loud bits are spot on, as are the vocals.
Title track ‘Till We Have Faces’ is even slower still, with quivering vocals balancing on a thin guitar riff. You sense breaking point at any second, and when it finally arrives in the shape of another trademark cracking chorus, it doesn’t disappoint. The piano line of album closer ‘A Way To The Heart’ doesn’t exactly end things with a bang, but again the band put their hearts on their sleeves and do what they do best. A slow and tender track, it’s the only song that doesn’t build up into a crescendo of guitars, rather unexpectedly ending with a whimper, petering out with a tinkling of the ivories.
Listen to Noise Ratchet all the way through in one sitting and you will get lost completely in a superb record. Everything about this album is great, from the feel and design of the inlay book to the quality of the production. And of course the songs ain’t half bad either. Sure, it’s not the most original CD you’ll hear this side of Christmas, but it’s one of the best of its genre, and that’s good enough for me.
Noise Ratchet may be virtual unknowns now, but with records like this, they won’t be emo’s best kept secret for long.
Paul Savage