release date: May 2, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Richard Gottehrer, Sune Rose Wagner
label: Columbia - nationality: Denmark
Track highlights: 1. "The Heavens" - 3. "Love in a Trashcan" - 5 . "Uncertain Times" - 6. "My Boyfriend's Back" - 7. "Here Comes Mary" - 11. "You Say You Lie" - 12. "Ode to L.A."
2nd studio album from The Raveonettes follows two years after the debut and is like that produced by veteran sound technician Richard Gottehrer in collaboration with Sune Wagner of the band. All except track #6 - a cover of a 60s song by The Angels written by R. Gottehrer, Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein - are credited Wagner, who is now credited as multi-instrumentalist handling synths, guitar, bass, drums, percussion and programming. Sharin Foo is exclusively credited as vocalist and on percussion. Additionally, a few recurring musicians also participate. This include guitarist Manoj Ramdas and drummer Jakob Hoyer, who both played on the band's ep debut as well as on Chain Gang of Love. Other than that, the album feature a few prominent guest artists, which count The Ronettes' legendary vocalist Ronnie Spector on vocal [track #12], Velvet Underground legend Maureen Tucker on drums on four tracks, and Suicide instrumentalist Martin Rev credited 'The Instrument' [guitar].
The album reveals a stylistic progression towards slower love song territory, and the songs are generally a bit longer. Like the debut, it contains 13 tracks but as opposed to the former's total running length at 33 minutes this one clocks in at 44:30 minutes. The songs are more traditionally composed with broader arrangements without losing the quality of a distinct sound. There's now definitely a stronger inspiration from Motown, country, and general pop songs of the early 60s, although, some tracks still reveal the bond to garage rock and surf rock. The front cover is like the debut held in cinematic b/w style as if situated in the 50s or 60s, only this time with the added 'technicolor' [added colours] style, and the title could suggest a hint at the 80s (Howard Deutch) popular film "Pretty in Pink" with its own references to the 50s and early 60s.
I believe this was the first full-length by the band that I listened to at the time of the release, and I recall finding it good, although, I didn't purchase the album until a few years later. I think, I initially still hoped Sune Wagner would produce stronger alt. rock music, and it took some time before I just accepted his retro-infused style of American twang and reverb, and then back in 2005, the band really stood on its own when pop music was overwhelmed by retro-waves in terms of synth pop and a new wave of post-punk revival flourished on both sides of the Atlantic. And Pretty in Black is far from those tendencies. The album was, however, genereally met by positive reviews and in retrospect it stands as a more original collection of songs than you'll find on the debut.
Recommended.
[ 👎allmusic.com 2 / 5, Pitchfork 6,8 / 10, PopMatters 3,5 / 5, NME, Rolling Stone, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]
