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The Orchard (Bonus Version)

Ra Ra Riot

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iTunes Review

The sound of Syracuse, NY’s Ra Ra Riot is thousands of miles away from the snowy banks of the college town where they once formed. Singer Wes Miles glides on top of the band’s quirky keyboard-cello-bass attack until he’s sliding out on the dancefloor way ahead of everyone, modesty be damned. His vocals deserve the spotlight. Bassist Mathieu Santos takes a pulsing, melodic lead on several cuts (“Boy,” in particular) while the keyboards are straight from an ‘80s disco (“Too Dramatic”). These songs feature airscapes that can be solemn and beatific (“The Orchard,” “Keep It Quiet”) or swooning and earnest (“Kansai,” “Do You Remember”). There’s an innocence here that continues the brisk excitement of their 2008 debut album, The Rhumb Line. The Bonus Version includes a demo of “Shadowcasting” that’s still pretty much as elaborate in its own way as the full studio version and a video for “Boy” rounds out the package. Compared to many other higher-profile contemporary bands such as Vampire Weekend and Arcade Fire, Ra Ra Riot have their own little niche here that’s soothing and quite entertaining.

Customer Reviews

Ra Ra Riot gets better!

Here's the thing about Ra Ra Riot... I can give this album a five star rating before even listening to it, because it's Ra Ra Riot.
So, I figure I'll review each song as I listen to it and we'll see if I'm right about my assumption!

The Orchard - The album's name song starts off great. It has a very mellow feel to it, showcasing mostly violin and cello with some great bass backing. Very well put together with great lyrics and vocals. This song somehow relaxes me, I can't put my finger on why, because the lyrics might be looked at as a little stressful, but I think it's just the general smooth flow of great music that relaxes me. I give this song 5 stars.

Boy - Now, I, like some of you reading, purchased Ra Ra Riot's EP that came out about a month ago with this song on it. My feelings haven't changed for this song except for maybe liking it even more than the first time I listened to it. It kicks off with a strong and up tempo bass line, with some nice guitar thrown in here and there. But this song I think is mostly about the vocals. I really really like the singing in this song. Wes Miles has a great voice and this song really shows off his range and creativity. All around a very high 4.5 rating.

Too Dramatic - Starts off quite quickly, just sort of jumping right in. There is still some suspense building, but not as much as I'm used to with a lot of Ra Ra Riot's songs. This song seems to be one of those that showcases Ra Ra Riot as a unit. There isn't a particular instrument or thing that sticks out, just... Everything. It is well put together and makes you want to tap your foot (if you're shy) and dance around like a geek if you're me. The chorus may get a little repetetive sometime down the road, but I can see myself loving the rest of the song only more and more as I listen to it again and again, as I'm sure I will. I give this song 4.5 out of 5.

Foolish - Starts off with a little piano, which I'm not quite used to with Ra Ra Riot. It's great, but a little simple and soft for me. Then, suddenly, layered harmonies of Wes Miles and some drum building... Then the vocal part changes up a little, but the piano stays the same, the drums are in more, the cello and violin pop in with some goofy guitar background noises that somehow add quite a bit, and you can tell this is building to something awesome. Then, the chorus. Here the cello and violin play together with beautiful guitar background. Then... Synth!? Sounds funky and different and it's a surprise, for sure. Altogether very well put together song, with a great flow to it. This is going to be a song that grows on you the more you listen. The way it ends is a little sudden and unexpected, unless you're watching the time bar. All in all though, I give it a.. Hmm... 5. Although only barely. Still, very good song.

Massachusetts - Starts out sounding like a choir of Wes Miles singing in a concert hall. A little reminiscent of Phoenix at parts, mainly the chorus. This is kind of one of those songs where you don't really expect it to grow and change, and then it does. It's kind of hard to predict what will happen next in this song, if only because you think it's going to be so predictable from the first minute or so. I kind of wish it would change and grow more than it does though. All in all, the last minute and a half or so is my favorite bit, but still not as great as I expected. This song will get a 4.

You and I Know - From the get go, I am loving this song. I assume this is the Cellist's voice, as she's the one that normally harmonizes with Wes, she has a great voice that I love and the bass backing is beautiful with her almost old timey sounding tone. Wow. I think I'm in love, people. About halfway through the mood changes slightly, and she almost sounds angry, but I have never heard a more beautiful angry tone. Then near the end, the guitar throws in a little louder than expected, but it just goes with the song. Overall I give this song a solid 5. Great great vocals and well put together instrumentals.

Shadowcasting - This kicks off like the classic Ra Ra Riot that we all know. All things thrown in with a great mesh. Here I must say that this has got to be one of the best put together bands I've ever heard. Bands either seem to have too much or too little going on nowadays. Now with Ra Ra Riot you have a kickin' bass going, with beautifully arranged orchestration, in the middle of a guitar riff and a fantastic vocalist and fantastic drum beats. What more or less could you want? All in all this song gets another solid 5.

Do You Remember - Starts out a little funky, with all the instruments building upon each other, and then comes the singing. More piano in this one, and I'm liking that addition to the band's sound. The chorus seems a little lacking and repetetive, but then the song moves back to the build which is great. Well put together with all the instruments. The last 30 seconds or so makes the chorus interesting for me, throwing in background layers of voices and instrumentals that make a great sound. I give this song a 4.5.

Kansai - This one starts more instrumentally and takes a bit more time on average than the other songs of this album for the singing to kick in, but it works. This song sounds well thought out and put together from the get go. Nothing stands out particularly on first listen. But again, well put together. All around high 4.5 or low 5.

Keep it Quiet - This song I have heard before. I like the soft and slow feel, as a change. If you wait for this song to build and crescendo, however, you are setting yourself up for a let down. Although it does build a slight bit about halfway through, and this version throws in a bit more feeling to it. Such a relaxing song, and I give it a definite 5. A warning though, you have to be in a certain mood to enjoy a song like this, typically.

Shadowcasting (Penn Yan Demo) gets a 5. What can I say?

Overall the album gets a... You guessed it! 5 star rating. Buy it. Now.

AMAZING!!!

I just listened to this for the first time through... I waited up all night for it. It was worth it. Keep up the good work Ra ra riot!

Blah

I have been patiently waiting for this release for the better part of two years. Quite frankly, I'm a bit dissapointed. However, still a worthwhile listen. Who knows? Maybe it'll grow on me more...

Biography

Formed: January, 2006 in Syracuse, NY

Genre: Alternative

Years Active: '00s, '10s

Combining indie rock with chamber pop flourishes (courtesy of a small string section), Ra Ra Riot formed while the band's six members were attending college in Syracuse, NY. Milo Bonacci (guitar), Alexandra Lawn (cello), Wesley Miles (keyboard/vocals), John Pike (drums), Mathieu Santos (bass), and Rebecca Zeller (violin) first came together in January 2006, creating an eclectic sound that allowed them to play alongside the Horrors, Bow Wow Wow, and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin within a year...
Full Bio

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