Singles

The Rumblestrips - Cardboard Coloured Dreams EP

Tom Senier 06/11/2006

Rating: 4/5

The Rumble Strips are ace. Their songs contain the sort of life affirming melodies that can sometimes be so sadly missing in modern 'alternative' music. The arrangements are simple, ensuring that the songs are left to soar with thundering drums and brass stabs the order of the day, here. Dexy's Midnight Runners are the most obvious reference point, but that's not to say that The Rumble Strips are another bunch of plagiarist pretenders. With lines like “I ain't never going to dream/ I ain't even going to start”, Charlie Waller's voice expresses such honesty that you can't help but fall in love with this band almost instantly. From the quirky soul of “Oh Creole” right until the last few bars of the fairground waltz of “Running Away”, this EP never disappoints. The sad, desolate songs are always contrasted against the smart, self-deprecating lyrics, and the anthemic pop hooks never seem to get tired or irksome.

With the band recently signing to Fallout Records (whose parent label is Island), and a November tour starting on the 7th likely to gain them some new fans, with any luck, 2007 should be a big year for The Rumble Strips- they certainly deserve it.

Release date: 20/11/2006