"The jukebox churns out songs about sex..."

I'm not sure what it was that compelled me to buy The Raveonettes' debut single back in 2002, but it might have been that boy/girl retro vibe that was big at the time - The White Stripes, The Kills, etc. To be fair, the Danish duo were more authentic in their sound than their peers, choosing only to use vintage equipment to get that genuine twang. I loved them instantly and they are still one of my favourite bands. Despite hailing from Scandinavia, you know exactly where Sune and Sharin get their inspiration from.



The mini-album 'Whip It On' was a delight, and the full-length debut that followed the previous year - 'The Chain Gang Of Love' - was also excellent, though its lead single That Great Love Sound remains one of the best tracks of the century. (I wrote about it here.) I adored the next record, 'Pretty In Black'. The lead single Ode To L.A. didn't just sound like an authentic 60s Phil Spector-produced girl group, it actually featured Ronnie Spector of the wonderful Ronettes! My Boyfriend's Back was certainly of the same ilk and a highlight. But if it was twang you were after, it doesn't get much better than Love In A Trashcan.



Everyone seemed to *ahem* rave about the third album 'Lust Lust Lust', but it's one I've never really gotten into, probably my leave favourite Raveonettes album if I'm honest. 2009's 'In And Out Of Control' was a return to form though. The sound was still very retro, but it had developed a more modern twist. Some absolutely cracking tracks on this one, and in Last Dance, one of their poppiest songs yet.



Albums five and six ('Raven in The Grave' from 2011 and the following year's 'Observator') were both better than 'Lust Lust Lust' but didn't generate as much interest or acclaim from the critics. Neither were bad albums (The Raveonettes have never made a bad record), but to me it sounded like the band was struggling to find the sound they craved. Thankfully, they'd cracked it by 2014. 'Pe'ahi' was my album of the year and is The Raveonettes' best record to date, in my opinion. The best track is A Hell Below, but there's no video for that. Endless Sleeper's vid is most definitely not suitable for work or those suffering from epilepsy. So instead, here's Killer In The Streets. To be fair, every track from 'Pe'ahi' is worthy of gushing praise...



This year, the band is releasing an "anti-album", putting out one track a month of very different-sounding songs, then compiling them at the end of the year. The consistency you would expect from an album is not there and it's quite experimental in places, but there are some fine tunes so far, including this one which has something of an r&b vibe to it:





Soundtrack:

• Attack Of The Ghost Riders - The Raveonettes (from 'Whip It On')
• Love In A Trashcan - The Raveonettes (from 'Pretty In Black')
• Last Dance - The Raveonettes (from 'In And Out Of Control')