** sept 18th **

** not finished (sperate Side A from Side b of the vinyl) &&

For those not in the know, Portland, Oregon's Rakes [guitarist/vocalist Andrew Foster, vocalist Chelsea Walker, bassist D. Rives Curtright, drummer Tim Hanson, and keyboardist Jake Kersley] will release their self-titled debut, full-length album this coming September 18th, 2020.

Rock comes in many forms, But, rock rooted in its ancestry; rock that both is loud and sweaty, made to dance to, while honoring its forefathers and steeping itself in the traditions of soul, is a form of rock that is both hard to describe and instantly recognizable when you hear it.

That is what Portland, Oregon-based male/female-dual vocal quartet Rakes accomplish on their self-titled debut, an eleven-track collection of soulful rock that is loud, danceable, and packs a mean punch; but, comes around with some tenderness as well.

Indeed, recorded at, and released on Deer Lodge Records, produced by Ezra Meredith, Rakes is one fans of traditional rock will truly love.

1. 'Long Road'
2. 'Carved in Bone'
3. 'Dig Deep'
4. 'Stay With Me'
5. '3 Days'
6. ''78'
7. 'Don't Know Why'
8. 'Dead Once Again'
9. 'Annie Mae'
10 'Sinner'
11. 'Whiskey Woman'

Opening with the loud, jangly guitars of rocker 'Long Road,' they back that up with the delightfully free flowing, late '70s rock vibe of 'Carved in Bone' (where Kersley's key work nicely comes to the forth), the drum-led, horn-enhanced, blues rocker 'Dig Deep,' and then both the lush ballad 'Stay With Me' (where Walker's voice adds sweetness to the sorrow of Foster's intonation), and the mid-tempo hipsway of '3 Days.'

Next up is the raw, passionate rocker ''78,' which is followed by 'Don't Know Why,' which perfectly showcases Walker's vocal expertise, and that's backed by the pop rock flow of 'Dead Once Again,' the thunderous guitar rocker 'Annie Mae,' rounding out with the drum-led, Southern blues enbibed 'Sinner,' closing on the gentle, acoustic guitar ballad 'Whiskey Woman.'

Recorded out of the studio, in an empty bar, to one mic, this album-closing song is poignant with its rawness. Sounding live and airy, it proves this loud rock band can be as powerful and moving simple and quiet.

Both Foster and Walker agree that the record came out bigger than they had envisioned. When asked if there is a theme or message running through it, Foster shrugs that notion off, saying, "Nah. Love and loss, I guess. From the perspective of the narrator."

With a release date set for September 18th, 2020, yet no live shows or touring options on the immediate horizon due to the worldwide pandemic of Covid-19, the band wants people to hear this record and get the word out, but they're also thinking about the next one.

Their goal for this record is to have it help them make the next one that much better; if that is even possible, of course.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to this self-titled rockin' debut though, for from start to finish, it's a ride fans of rock 'n' roll will thoroughly enjoy, while the lyrics will give you much to contemplate.

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