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Review: 'Rat Fancy'
'Stay Cool'   

-  Label: 'Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records/Solidarity Club'
-  Genre: 'Indie' -  Release Date: '7.6.19.'-  Catalogue No: 'HHBTM198'

Our Rating:
With Rat bars popping up in super hip locations from San Franciso's Dungeon bar to Londons Banksy artwork themed show Rat Bar underneath Waterloo station in the vaults.To recent interviews by the original rat woman whom started the trend for Goths clubbing with rats on there shoulders that recently showed up in my feed on facebook it seems that it's the perfect time for Rat Fancy to release there debut album produced by the Mighty Lemon Drops very own David Newton.

Both this album and the 12" single Suck A Lemon should be on the playlist at Rat Bars wherever they may pop up next.

The album opens its cage and let's Stay Cool slink out to give us some almost essential advice for our times as the song clatters away as we all try to keep a cool head as the dreamy vocals try to make sure we all stay cool and happy no matter what.

Making trouble sees Diana Barraza starting a fight for the hell of it as Gregory Johnson, Matt Sturgis act as her musical corner men. No having rat fights isn't cool just like real fights aren't either, that leaves Dan Fernandez almost in an adjudicating role as they sound like early Darling Buds having a tussle with Tracy Tracy.

Never Is Forever is clattering and in your face with a sweet vocal melody drawing you in and in places it reminds me of The Mighty Lemon Drops live shows way back in the day and David Newtons production helps in that respect for certain.

RIP Future is a song for our distorted times that's as at odds with itself as it needs to be while being as catchy as Salad's early singles were. Must Be nice is a Marine Girls style almost claustrophobic song about immigration that feels like you want to get out of the detention center and get on with your life.

The B-side opens with the dance floor ready Beyond Belief a perfect slice of life and torment to shamble away too. Before it nods at The Human Leagues Don't You Want Me before thinking better of it.

Dreaming Is Real is an urgent plea for love with a nice wonky edge to it like you ought to know the right answer to the question do you prefer white rats or brown? As it Jangles like they want to be The Wedding Present fronted by Miki Berenyi.

Finely Knitted is the most bass heavy song on the album along with some deranged keyboards as Diana tells us she knows we stole her favorite sweater like she's as obsessed with that sweater as Haircut 100 were with shirts and she's angry you took it.

Stuck With you is nice buzzy in your face indie jangle of regret for that tattoo of you. Ride Or Die isn't a Biker rock anthem to close the album but a cool indie almost Pastels like power-pop song full of yearning.

Find out how you can join in the current Rat craze with this album at www.hhbtm.com http://ratfancyla.com/
  author: simonovitch

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