Singles

The Rifles - She's Got Standards.

Clark Summers 11/06/2005

Rating: 4/5

If you thought The Ordinary Boys were the only band keen on building a career out of a few old Paul Weller riffs (1978 vintage) and a working knowledge of The Kinks back catalogue you were sadly mistaken as here comes the 12,486,864 th mod revival (ok I'm exaggerating a *bit*) courtesy of London upstarts The Rifles. New single (and sure to be chart smash) 'She's Got Standards' is a lively garage-punk stomp-a-long that fizzes with bravado and youthful abandon much like a bunch of Red Bull and vodka addled teens running riot on the streets of Camden. Jagged guitars scythe across clattering drums as head Rifle Joel Stoker puts fashionista groupies rather cruelly in their place ( "… cause if the NME say you're cool and they really like your style / she'll be down south top ten in her mouth within the blink of an eye"). You know there's a glimmer of truth in what he says but you have to wonder whether such blinding cynicism would have been better directed at a less obvious target. Regardless of this fact 'She's Got Standard' is a forceful statement of intent from a band seemingly unconcerned by prevailing trends in indie rock circles.