Rahim
Three-piece Rahim, from New York city, are signed to Frenchkiss Records and play in the style of DC-born post-punk. Once those facts are out in the open, it's easy to guess at what Rahim might or should sound like. Les Savy Fav are an obvious reference point for Rahim (other easy or lazy comparisons: Q and Not U, Black Eyes, Fugazi), but instead of Tim Harrington's verbal barrage and penchant for spectacle, Rahim demonstrate a keen sense of restrain and a wickedly smart way with words and multi-part, buttery smooth vocals, not to mention the occasional orchestral flourish and spare but still gorgeous instrumentation.
Their debut album Ideal Lives veers from where last year's Jungles EP tread, with airy, literate post-punk with a heart of pop. They're a rare find in an era of way too many disco-dance-post-punk clones. How else can I explain the lush beauty of the backup "yeah, yeah"s and sustained organ in "Forever Love"? Sure, there's angular guitar lines and jittery drums, but also an appreciation of history and cliches. You won't find an abundance of copy-cat hi-hat nor a thousand guitar solos put in for the sake of creating complexity; Rahim's brainy songs are smooth, well-oiled machines: fully-formed, perfectly buffed into perfection, the moving parts all moving in harmony. And never fear, they do know how to rock out when appropriate. It's a shame Rahim are perhaps New York's most slept-on band.
The J. Robbins-produced Ideal Lives comes out April 4th and you'd be hard-pressed to find anything quite as unique coming out this year. Rahim play an early showcase, Thursday, March 16, at 8:00 p.m. at the Soho Lounge, and you'd best catch them before the masses figure it out; I'm picking them as one of my must-see picks for SXSW. I am telling you now: run, don't walk, as this genre rarely, if never, sounds quite as good.
Rahim - 10,000 Horses (from the forthcoming Ideal Lives LP)
Rahim - Forever Love (from the forthcoming Ideal Lives LP)
Rahim - Only Pure (from the forthcoming Ideal Lives LP)
Rahim - One at a Time (from the Jungles EP)
Rahim's official site. Pre-order Ideal Lives from Insound or Amazon. Purchase the Jungles EP from Amazon or iTunes Music Store. Again, Rahim play on Thursday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m. at the Soho Lounge. I'd go if I were you.
Shadows tags:rahim.
Posted by Queen of the Front Row at 03.02.06 at 7:38 AM
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