The Rifles - Album: ‘None the Wiser’ Cooking Vinyl January 20th 2014
Album Launch Thursday 23rd January The Boogaloo, London
“Life affirming indie-pop” The Times
“They know how to rip up the script. Excellently delivered!” Artrocker
“Their tender, bittersweet lyrics pull hard on the heartstrings” The Sun
“Thrills and melodic cascades aplenty” The Mirror
On January 20th 2014 The Rifles return with their fourth studio album ‘None the Wiser’, released via Cooking Vinyl with the album launch at the intimate London venue, The Boogaloo on 23rd January.
‘None The Wiser’ finds the four-piece on fine form, and marks yet another raising of the bar, with brilliantly-crafted classic rock, plus an added dose of folk, Americana, a strong pop sensibility and highly-deft songwriting skills.
Their trademark Mod sound, rock and roll and timeless indie pop are all present and correct, but the band have broadened their musical palette, drawing influence from, in their own words, “Bob Dylan, Talking Heads, some Clash and as always - the Beatles.”
‘Minute Mile’ runs rabid, building to a crescendo of raucous guitars and pounding percussion, that leads into the super-charged rock ‘n’ roll of ‘Heebie Jeebies’, whilst ‘Go Lucky’ nods towards their fondness for The Jam.
The subtly psychedelic ‘You Win Some’ is the band’s own uplifting British take on West Coast folk rock and ‘All I Need’ plus ‘The Hardest Place To’ are filled with luscious harmonies.
The topsy-turvy ‘Under and Over’ captures the band’s ebullient spirit and will no doubt fast become a firm live anthem at the band’s notoriously rowdy gigs.
With consistently respectable chart entries and a huge, loyal fanbase (that to this day sees the band selling out venues like London’s’ Forum), combined with genuine songwriting talent and unwavering creativity, The Rifles have long outlived many of their original peers.
Packing a ferocious punch since 2006 with their debut album ‘No Love Lost’, the unyielding Rifles have picked up high profile fans in musical heroes Paul Weller and Oasis. The band released their second album ‘Great Escape’ in 2009 and third longplayer ‘Freedom Run’ in 2011, which was met with widespread critical acclaim.
‘None The Wiser’ was produced by Dave McCracken (Ian Brown), plus Jamie Ellis and Charles Reece at Paul Weller’s Black Barn Studios. It was mixed by Steve Harris (Miles Kane) and Mike Crossey (Jake Bugg/1975).
The album was recorded by the newly reformed original line up of Joel Stoker (vocals, guitar), Lucas Crowther (guitar, vocals), Robert Pyne (bass) and Grant Marsh (drums), who will also be touring throughout November. Tickets available at www.therifles.net
2014 Tour Dates
23rd January – London, The Boogaloo – Album Launch
28th April - Cardiff, The Globe
29th April - Exeter, The Phoenix
30th April - Southampton, The Brook
1st May - Norwich, Waterfront
2nd May - London, Shepherds Bush Empire
3rd May - Brighton, Brighton Racecourse, Modfest
4th May - Manchester, The Ritz
6th May - Glasgow, Oran Mor
8th May - Wolverhampton, Slade Rooms
9th May - Cambridge, Junction 2
10th May- Leamington, The Assembly 2
‘None the Wiser’ tracklisting
1 ‘Minute Mile’
2 ‘Heebie Jeebies’
3 ‘Go Lucky’
4 ‘All I Need’
5 ‘You Win Some’
6 ‘Catch Her In The Rye’
7 ‘The Hardest Place To Find Me’
8 ‘Shoot From The Lip’
9 ‘Eclectic Eccentric’
10 ‘Under And Over’