Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 09/03/2002
As striking and original as
Jawbox's
Grippe,
Fugazi's
The Argument, and
the Mars Volta's
Tremulant EP,
No Knife truly comes into its own with
Riot for Romance!, the San Diego band's fourth album. Passionately crossing
Wire,
Gang of Four and
the Clash,
Riot for Romance! proves the band to be a worthy successor to the much-lauded
At the Drive-In. The record begins with the angular title track, a stunning and previously unheard-of juxtaposition of
post-punk and
reggae -- perhaps
No Knife's best song -- that evokes the brilliance of
the Clash without ever sounding the least bit derivative.
"Permanent for Now" is a wailing and off-kilter, oddly uplifting tune that sounds like no other.
"Swinging Lovers" has a manic guitar edge that beautifully recalls early-'90s
punk. By the time the album reaches its fifth track, the simple, fragile love song
"Feathers and Furs," it's clear that
No Knife has escaped all of the genre labels previously heaped upon it, standing out as a spectacular and uncompromising
rock & roll band by anyone's standards.
~Charles Spano, All Music Guide
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