The Rakes

While the current British Invasion is wearing a bit -- particularly when the bands are seemingly interchangeable and all apparently worship at the altar of Ian Curtis -- the very clearly British foursome The Rakes don't appear so tiresome. The London band's ADD-influenced, punk-tinged tracks on their debut contain a raw likability many of their peers may lack. Hearing singer Alan Donohoe cheekily holler about how he wants to go out every night (on the standout "Retreat") makes you want to run out to the closest pub and start drinking, preferably in the company of these four lads. Rather than draw on the influence of Gang of Four or that band with "Joy" in the title, The Rakes sound more affected by The Clash, primarily employing three chords in their terse tracks. And whether you are a practicing Anglophile or not, it's hard not to sympathize with Donohoe when he hoots, "I don't wanna miss out on anything . . . might as well go out for a fifth night in a row."