Are you Pretty in Black like the Raveonettes ... I don't think so ... Ugly in White, See? Overall Album Score: 8.6 out of 10 Let me ask you a question: What good has any Dane ever done for the world? ... Seriously. Other than the Raveonettes, I can't even think of a Danish person much less a *great* Dane. I mean, there was always Hamlet, but he wasn't even *real*! Okay, there was one Danish person who immigrated in the U.S. circa a long time ago who had a baby (my grandfather) with an English person. ... But that's about it. The only great people to come out of Denmark was a fictional character and one of my great-grandparents. Oh, and I just remembered that there was also Neils Bohr. But he's one of those jerks who invented all those annoying theories and equations I have to memorize at school! Ick!!! And, who are The Raveonettes? They freaking annoyed me to death with Chain Gang of Love! This follow-up doesn't exactly have better actual songwriting in it, but they scrapped the whole idea of flooding each and every song with all that freaking fuzzy tone crap! It's still fairly interesting, musically. The Raveonettes don't even have an ounce of innovation in their songwriting whatsoever (but ... they've been like this from the very start). Each and every one of these songs is a very derivative 50s or early 60s melody. They're pretty catchy melodies (and simple), but they won't dazzle you with those. What's interesting about them, however, is the way they present these songs. It's very heavy. VERRRRRRY heavy. This album also has a similar problem that Chain Gang of Love had in that the whole thing gets tiresome in the latter half! So, this isn't a great album either ... but I think it's a good one. They're not artistic geniuses, but who is? It's an enjoyable product, and sometimes that's all you need. They're finally starting to show taste, which is good! The music doesn't make a point of being ugly and inaccessible. ... Alas, promise. Overall Album Score: 8.6 out of 10 (A vast improvement over their debut ... The songwriting didn't necessarily improve; the songs just aren't irritating this time!) Average Song Score: 8.7 (Solid songs from the Danes. Um. Nothing entirely original here or really even particularly exciting, but ... it's some good stuff.) Album Tilt: 8.5 (A bit of sameyness is a negative, but there really isn't a bad song in here.) Artist Rating: 8.5 (They're hardly original, and their reinvention of 50s and 60s isn't exactly fresh ... but it's not tasteless.) Track Reviews The Heavens 9/10 NOOOOOOO!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I CAN'T TAKE THIS RAVEONETTES STUFF ANYMORE!!!!! GAAAHHHHH!!!! ... Oh wait. This isn't annoying at all. In fact, it's just a nice, little song ... a throwback to singing cowboy music from the 1930s and 1940s. ... The production of the song is kinda nice (it definitely sounds heavier than a normal cowboy song would have, but they didn't need to utilize all this staticy sound). It's a totally non-exhilarating song, but it's nice! And it doesn't drive me nuts! Seductress of Bums 9/10 The song title gets an A+. ... And the song itself isn't bad either. It's a lethargic thing and still a heavier throwback to the olden days, but ... that's a good thing, you know. I like these heavy throwbacks to the olden days. Especially these totally non-irritating ones. I can't get excited over it, of course, but it makes a fine listen. Love in a Trashcan 9.5/10 ...Interesting lyrics. This retro-pop song is more upbeat this time ... and there is some nicely done guitar on here. ... Um ... It's quite upbeat and enjoyable. They never would have gotten away with these lyrics in 1963! ... Unless they were totally underground. Sleepwalking 9/10 Another upbeat thing ... that's heavy ... It's kinda hypnotic, actually! ... I do notice some "wall of stupid noise" in the background of this one, or something like it, that was so prevalent in Chain Gang of Love, except it's kept in the background! That's all I asked! Thanks! Uncertain Times 9/10 Sort of sounds like a John Lennon song to me, I guess ... except it's not as resonant, of course. Still ... it's a nice thing. It's rather dissonant, but nicely written and nicely played. My Boyfriend's Back 9/10 Another song that I can't bear to give anything less than a 9 to! ... Yeah, it's a cover of that old Motown song. It doesn't really change much to the original, except it has an electronic beat ... which is kinda effectively mesmerizing. Here Comes May 8.5/10 An even more lethargic 50s or early 60s pop song! The melody is incredibly derivative (...it's pathetic of me to know this, but it has the exact same melody as that infant montage in The Muppets Take Manhattan...) It's enjoyable, but ... it's kinda slow, you know. And that's not "slow" in a good way. Red Tan 8/10 It starts out too slowly, I think, but when it finally picks up steam, it manages to catch a nice little fire! ... It's yet another fun and easy-to-like 60s throwback! Woot! Twilight 8.5/10 Again, it's very slow going at times in this song, but it's far from being non-enjoyable. It contains yet another old school melody (done with some techno-leanings this time), but it's all melodic and tasteful. That's all that's important, you know! EVERYTHING ELSE IN LIFE DOESN'T MATTER!!! BLEEAGGUUU!!! Somewhere in Texas 8/10 Still lethargic ... the melody, I guess, isn't incredibly hooky this time, and that accounts for the 8. Um ... yeah, that's it. I'm not excited over this whatsoever. You Say You Lie 8/10 This is not only a lethargic throwback to old 60s music (maybe of more of a Beach Boys-esque surf twang this time), but it's ALIEN!! That weird oscillator thing in the background highlights this! ... Eek! Unfortunately, though, The Raveonettes fail to pick up the pace with this. This is yet another only decently-catchy melody. Ode to L.A. 9/10 An incredibly simple 50s-pop melody, but ... heck, it's enjoyable in that old special way that the Raveonettes are able to do it. It catches little fire. Oooo! If I Was Young 8.5/10 Kind of a bored ending ... although, it sort of started the same way, too! Sounds like an old Hawaiian folk song or something done all hard-like and stuff. Excuse me if I don't get too excited about it. Raveonettes are BORINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG, and send some comments here.

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