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by **LOLtron** » Sun May 20, 2012 5:36 am

Can an unknown Italian Garage band be the saviours of Rock?

Credits & Solicit Info:

Manta Rays: Manta Rays (Garage Records)

Review:

See, here's the thing about Rock 'n' Roll: most bands do it wrong. Rock isn't about itellectualising or political grandstanding, it's about sex, dancing and living. That's not to say it has to be dumb, rather that heart and balls are more important than any other anatomical features. Turn on the radio, listen to Coldplay or The Script and try to keep a straight face when you tell me that these acts have genitals or care about more than their designer shoes and jackets.

No, proper Rock 'n' Roll is in fairly short supply these days and that's where Manta Rays come in. Hailing from Italy and South Africa, the band play Garage Rock the way its supposed to be played - with passion and a sense of fun, and shot through with the Blues. Their self-titled album, out now on Garage Records did something rare to this jaded listener - it made me grin, then laugh and finally cheer. These guys get it - they understand what music is supposed to inspire in the listener. From the Garage crunch of It Makes Me Sick, through the Delta-Blues influence of The River Song all the way to the rueful hope and chiming arpeggios of Little Time, the album repays repeated listens, growing in stature with every spin. Check them out over on their homepage, http://www.mantarays.it/ - no philosphising allowed.

So in answer to the question - damn right: Manta Rays can indeed SAVE ROCK 'N' ROLL!!!*

(* "Save Rock 'n'Roll" © Jude Terror 2006, used by permission.)

Review by: Houman Sadri

http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/reviews/entertainment-reviews/19488-can-manta-rays-save-rock-n-roll.html/

by **nietoperz** » Sun May 20, 2012 11:21 am

by **MistaT** » Sun May 20, 2012 12:02 pm

I like 'em!

by **S.F. Jude Terror** » Sun May 20, 2012 12:07 pm

It is true, that is what Rock N Roll is about. I would have liked more guitar solos, but for the garage rock style which is very easy for me to find repulsively pretentious, this was actually pretty good.

by **nietoperz** » Sun May 20, 2012 1:39 pm

S.F. Jude Terror wrote:It is true, that is what Rock N Roll is about. I would have liked more guitar solos, but for the garage rock style which is very easy for me to find repulsively pretentious, this was actually pretty good.

I guess you and I like very different types of Rock N Roll, but that is the central point isn't it? Rock needs to be visceral and not cerebral. Fuck art, let's dance, you know?

by **S.F. Jude Terror** » Sun May 20, 2012 4:57 pm

nietoperz wrote:
I guess you and I like very different types of Rock N Roll, but that is the central point isn't it? Rock needs to be visceral and not cerebral. Fuck art, let's dance, you know?

Well, what I mean is that when you have major label backed megastar groups like the white stripes championing an entire campaign of "garage rock" mass produced by the music industry, it can risk coming off as pretentious. So I guess you can say the White Stripes and their ilk is what Rock N Roll needed saving from, and so the Manta Rays do an admirable job.

by **nietoperz** » Sun May 20, 2012 5:00 pm

S.F. Jude Terror wrote:
Well, what I mean is that when you have major label backed megastar groups like the white stripes championing an entire campaign of "garage rock" mass produced by the music industry, it can risk coming off as pretentious. So I guess you can say the White Stripes and their ilk is what Rock N Roll needed saving from, and so the Manta Rays do an admirable job.

To be fair, the White Stripes weren't on a major, but I take your point.