I’m inclined to shy away from NME-hyped indie bands. This is mainly due to the fact that they all tend to be absolute codswallop, not to mention sound exactly the same as every other NME-hyped indie band. Fortunately for the Ripps, their sound doesn’t fall into the above category, and is ultimately quite refreshing.
‘Long Live the Ripps‘ is quintessentially British-sounding, with a real nostalgic taste for the early-Eighties punk flavours of The Buzzcocks, as well as taking nods from more modern acts such as The Libertines. Opening track and lead single ‘Loco’ is fast and energetic, which sets the tone for the following eleven songs. It’s true that you will fail to find anything more technical than the standard powerchord changes, and at times this limits the band to what they may well be capable of. ‘COV Song’ exemplifies this, but it’s still a snappy piece worth a few listens.
Coventry’s The Ripps are ultimately a treat if you’re looking to find a hint of originality based around the UK Indie-Punk sound. Imagine if Green Day wrote ‘Nimrod’ in the late Seventies, came from The Midlands and not Berkeley; you’d be someway close to imagining how this band sounds.
Andy R