The Rumble Strips Announce New Album Details
In Charlie’s own words, “When we started out I liked the ridiculousness of a small group with acoustic instruments defiantly playing as if we sounded like an orchestra – we were like a team of arctic explorers in t-shirts and normal shoes joyfully pressing on. But this time, we needed to think bigger.”
The Rumble Strips release their second album ‘Welcome to The Walk Alone’ on July 13th, through Island Records. Produced by Mark Ronson, ‘Welcome to The Walk Alone’ is the extraordinary follow up to the band’s critically acclaimed 2007 debut, ‘Girls and Weather’. Having recruiting life-long friend Sam Mansbridge as their permanent bass player, The Rumble Strips has swelled to a five piece.
Recalling the widescreen sounds of Phil Spector and Scott Walker, coupled with 1940's wartime melodies and early 1960s European soul (Sam also brought a love of French chanson music, introducing the band to Jacques Brel and Charles Asnavor), ‘Welcome to The Walk Alone’ is a timeless record that sounds like nothing else released this year.
Their sophomore effort reflects how the band’s song writing process has changed. Principally written on piano and guitar, this change in style has resulted in the new record featuring a lot more piano and electric guitar than on their debut, plus the addition of full orchestration. The expansive sound of the arrangements is equalled only by lead singer Charlie Waller's voice, which more than any other instrument defines this record and confirms his status as one of the best male vocalists in British music in 2009.
Recruiting Owen Pallet – famed for his work with Arcade Fire and The Last Shadow Puppets – to orchestrate the album has proved a masterstroke. Pallet’s interpretations of the band’s arrangements lift The Rumble Strips’ distinctive sound to new levels, adding a sense of golden-era grandeur, refined by Ronson’s production.
First single, Not The Only Person, is a Queen meets Elvis Costello revelation. Backed by huge orchestration, the song’s summery vibes mask some of Charlie’s finest lyrics to date. You’d be forgiven for presuming lines such as “you’re not only person to get it wrong / it’s all right” are aimed at a loved one, whereas actually the song is Charlie’s apology to two muggers who attacked him and his wife. The assault failed when Mrs Waller chased the startled muggers away and the song is Charlie’s (perhaps empathetic) apology to them for messing with his wife, concluding with him offering to “come back tomorrow night alone /and you can take anything that you want”.
Daniel epitomises the grand scale of the band’s ambition. In three minutes, they’ve crafted an epic pop-noir song, centred around sweeping strings and the addictive refrain of the title.
With its rousing brass and stampeding drums, London is the song closest to anything off their debut, whereas the rest of the album reveals greater depth and new directions in the band’s song writing. Happy Hell is built around Ennio Morricone-eqsue guitar lines whilst Sweet Heart Hooligan is a beautiful end of the night moment. Perhaps the album’s key track is the title song: described by Mark Ronson as “his proudest achievement”, Welcome to The Walk Alone opens like a woozy funeral march and captures the sound of a band hitting their stride.
Tracks: Welcome To The Walk Alone / London / Not The Only Person / Daniel / Douglas / Back Bone / Sweet Heart Hooligan / Running On empty / Dem Girls / Raindrops / Happy Hell