Rakel Traxx - Bitches Palace (2011)

[Geoff]

 

So has anyone picked this one up from Demon Doll? Sadly, it's only a CDR (which I just can't for the life of me understand! How they designate what gets a silver pressing and what doesn't amazes me. Surely an up and coming current band warrants a silver pressing more than, for example, a collection of old tracks from a long-defunct band from the 80's? I don't get it. Anyway...), but it's an interesting disc.

 

I'm no stranger to rattling off the things that don't do it for me with regard to particular discs, and sometimes it's because I don't like the CD (eg. Journey's new one) but sometimes I can be just as harsh to CDs I do actually like, like this one. So don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this CD. But...

 

Let me start with the good ; it is self-produced and this thing sounds EXCELLENT. Honestly, one of the best self-produced CDs I think I've heard... because it sounds as good as anything that will be released in the genre this year. So well done to the guys on that. Musically, the band is very competent too. Well played and tight.

 

Now, the negatives ; the vocals / lyrics / accent. Intelligently, they have put the lead vocals pretty low in the mix, because there is an accent issue. He has a good glam/sleaze kind of voice, but I am hard pressed to actually understand more than a few lines per song. I think what would really have helped this package would be to include the lyrics in the booklet, so nerds like me can get a better gauge of what is actually going on. I find it impossible to truly connect with a CD I can't understand. The lyrics I can make out every now and then don't seem to make much sense either. So that's a bit unfortunate.

 

The choruses don't stand out much either. There's not much in terms of background vocals or well constructed hooks and several choruses just kind of pass without recognition.

 

The tempo. The one and only track that really stood out for me was the ballad, 'Try again.' I do honestly think it's the best song on the CD regardless - it is a very good tune - but it was also the only song that really broke the constant similarity of this CD. Every song is an uptempo rocker and after a while it gets hard to tell the difference between each song. I like the tempo, but the variety is just not there at all.

 

And that's about it. I hope the guys continue and come back like Blackrain did with their 2nd CD. It seems like the language barrier may be a real concern for these French bands (though Frenchkiss are fine) but I feel as though this vocalist can get the tunes across better than this. It is a good solid glam/sleaze CD (despite what bothers me about it) and I really want them to stick around.

 

So where's Jeff and Lindsay at?

[glam_junkie]

haven't picked up this one yet. waiting for another 9.99 sale so i can pick up all the latest demon doll discs.

 

i havea heard a few tracks from these guys over the past year or 2, and i did quite like what i heard.

[martinsane]

They look cool enough, but anything more than a couple of bucks for a cdr is highway robbery...

[Jeff]

Yep, this one has is currently #7 in my 2011 list (see signature below)...was #6 until that Victory came along. The rest of 2011 release will determine where this ends up.

 

I totally see where you are coming from on all your points but I have a different take on some of them too....as usual it is all opinion and what you like.

 

For example I agree straight out that the vocals are toned down, EVERY cd should have lyrics included, it is really difficult to understand most of the lyrics, he does have a good sleaze voice and yeah the CDR thing is not so cool.

 

On the other hand I like that accent he has and would have liked to see the vocals turned up a bit. While there isn't a few really standout chart topper tracks on this one, I think you hit it when you said it is a "good solid sleaze CD".

 

If they can stick around I would look forward to some of the improvements you would like to see, polish things up a bit, make some money so they can include the lyrics, etc.

 

This is not the type of CD most people would want to buy blindly...I think really testing out any samples you can find is a must.

 

Hard for me to pick "the best" song off here...I suppose Prostitutes Night and Fuck You would be my choices.

[glam_junkie]

Is this actually pressed on the demondoll label?

I think they have a different european distributor, so wonder if it the same actuall pressing, or there is a us demon doll pressing, and a euro pressing.

 

might have to find out if the shotgun generation records one is cdr.

[martinsane]

 

Hard for me to pick "the best" song off here...I suppose Prostitutes Night and Fuck You would be my choices.

 

 

With song titles like that they must be good.

[Nightrain]

Is this actually pressed on the demondoll label?

I think they have a different european distributor, so wonder if it the same actuall pressing, or there is a us demon doll pressing, and a euro pressing.

 

might have to find out if the shotgun generation records one is cdr.

 

yeah i think it's weird Demondoll is pressing a CDR for this one

 

and they maybe have another distributor, like my Debbie Ray disc, actually it's not Demondoll pressing, it's Coreshot records, seems like an indie label, way before they're signed with Demondoll

 

back on topic, heard this album around 3 weeks ago, good album but not ultimately special I must say, but interested to explore more

[Jeff]

Mine says 2011 Demon Doll records and it is a green CDR.

Come to think of it I feel like sending them sort of a bitch email about the CDR...sort of annoys me now. Thanks Geoff.

[JamesEagle]

I've mentioned this band on here a few times, as I love the songs. Like you guys, I got the CD® from DemonDoll, but apparently there is a silver CD version available from here:

 

Shotgun Generation

 

I only found out about this site after I'd bought the CDR.

[Nightrain]

I've mentioned this band on here a few times, as I love the songs. Like you guys, I got the CD® from DemonDoll, but apparently there is a silver CD version available from here:

 

Shotgun Generation

 

I only found out about this site after I'd bought the CDR.

 

looks like it's a nasty shop there James

thanks for the heads up, just found out that shop today

[glam_junkie]

got a reply back from shotgun generation and apparently theirs is silver pressed...

[JamesEagle]

got a reply back from shotgun generation and apparently theirs is silver pressed...

 

I wonder if any of their other CDs are worth getting? I love Rakel Traxx and Blackrain, maybe there are similar bands on there...

[glam_junkie]

i have Love Sikk Junkiez, High School MotherFuckers & Nasty Kixx from their site. Haven't listened to them for a while, but from memory LSJ adn HSMF were both pretty good. Nasty Kixx not quite my sytle. Was a bit more commerical / bluesy rock than sleaze glam from memory.

[Fat Freddy]

I don't get the band name at all. Is "Rakel Traxx" some kind of pun that I'm missing?

[Captain Howdy]

I think Rakel comes from the Hebrew for Ewe.

Still doesnt make any sense.

[Geoff]

The shipping rates seem very reasonable from that Shotgun Generation site. If the other albums were good (there's no samples there, amirite?) it'd be work picking up 5 at a time. Sadly, though, after already spending good coin on my Rakel Traxx CDR I can't really justify spending it all over again for a silver pressed copy. As much as I'd like it.

 

Honestly, Keef, I cannot even begin to fathom what the name means. Crazy Frenchmen.

[Stefan]

Tracks from 'Bitches Palace':

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-54s-faF7C0&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiqH8NFyaN0&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulpB79XGgzo&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7FbxGF_PWM

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-fWHT6l5eA&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az5Pq0JPuIk&feature=relmfu

[Stefan]

More tracks:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zjBpYsCITc&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFB1RJvD1GQ&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3RgnJW6rXs&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv2mTNSPxyU

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f68hlABaaFo&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5VaafuQ1pQ&feature=relmfu

[AlphaMale]

I don't get the band name at all. Is "Rakel Traxx" some kind of pun that I'm missing?

 

I answered this same question you asked before in another thread.

 

http://heavyharmonies.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=29210&st=0&p=645815entry645815

 

Here's the definition of both. I guess their names means "Reckless Train"?

 

Ra´kel (rä´kĕl)

 

1. Hasty; reckless; rash.

 

Traxx

 

1. German locomotive