We all put our own slant on song lyrics. My own hang ups on aging likely color a slight uneasiness when listening to newer bands like Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys, the Cribs, etc- is this suited to me? While The Rakes Retreat EP can surely be found alongside these cds in many collections (including my own), it showcases a more mature feel, lyrically.
Perhaps it’s the frustrations of a fruitless life reiterated in the excellent title track. Perhaps it’s the sense that the Retreat ep stands alongside its influences rather than behind them. It’s undiluted nihilism you can dance to. Or maybe I just feel a familiarity with so many lines like “I don’t wanna miss out on anything/ At the same time I feel the need to retreat/. Everything is temporary these days/ Might as well go out for a fifth night in a row/.”
Whatever the reason and despite being a product of London, I feel this EP sums up the early 20s American experience quite well. Youth, perhaps, has no country.
