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Overall Comments:
 

Before we rate the albums for you, let's be honest: The Rock*A*Teens are a live band. Some of their albums are great, but if you want to get the look and feel of this band, you've got to see them in concert. For instance, as an Atlanta resident, I was familiar with The Rock*A*Teens long before I ever saw them live. And the first couple of time I saw them, I thought they were pretty interesting and neat, but nothing fully registered with me.

Then, I saw this one show. They played through the material, which was loud, and reverby, and people were sweating on me, and I was kind of tired. But then they played this one song with so much energy and fury and angst….and suddenly, the light went on over my head, and I got The Rock*A*Teens. I fell totally in love with their music, and their concerts, and I haven't looked back since.

I tell you this story because, in general, most people I know who are fans of The Rock*A*Teens have had epiphanies like that. Therefore, I exhort you again: go see them in concert. Now let's talk about the albums.

 
         
         
 
Recording:
  Rock-A-Teens  
 
Label:
  Daemon  
 
Date:
  1996  
 
Review:
 

This first release gained The Rock*A*Teens much praise as a rockabilly band. Critics loved the echo-y, bassless sound and the "let's make a record" ethic. Unfortunately, those strengths are also this album's limitations. This album is very spirited, and it sounds like everyone had a blast recording it. However, there is a lack of precision in the songwriting, and the musical arrangements aren't nearly as haunting as later efforts. Of their albums, this one is either for completists, or people who prefer a lighter, more rockabilly sound.

 
 
Standout Tracks:
  HingHangHung, O Pharoah, Arm in Arm in the Golden Twilight We Loitered On  
 
Rating:
   
         
 
Recording:
  Cry  
 
Label:
  Daemon  
 
Date:
  1997  
 
Review:
  This album expands on the musical styles of Rock*A*Teens while showing a new narrative focus in the songs themselves. It's a fairly clean recording with minimal distortion (for the RATs, that is) and without all the lo-fi touches which both graced and hindered the first album. It's accessible and still fun, and although some of the songs sound similar to songs on the first album, lyrically this is much more evocative. On the whole, there are no mis-steps and there's not a bad song in the bunch.  
 
Standout Tracks:
  Black Ice, Losers Weepers, Crybaby  
 
Rating:
   
         
 
Recording:
  Baby, A Little Rain Must Fall  
 
Label:
  Merge  
 
Date:
  1998  
 
Review:
  This album was recorded during a major period of flux, when they didn't have a full-time drummer, and it shows. Probably their most reverb heavy, where you hear non-existent instruments and vocals in the background due to all the distortion. Overall, this album seems very melancholy, which is emphasized by the overdubbed, slow drums. It's got some great songs, but the pacing feels a little subdued.  
 
Standout Tracks:
  Don't Destroy This Night, I Coulda Just Died, Ether Sunday  
 
Rating:
   
         
 
Recording:
  Golden Time  
 
Label:
  Merge  
 
Date:
  1999  
 
Review:
  By this time, the RATs had a steady, well-accomplished lineup, and it shows. The bass is way up front and it soars, while the drumming keeps things moving along. This album is the most cleanly recorded - yeah, there's still the ubiquitous echo, but it seems in check. Furthermore, the songs are ordered in such a way that no-one style seems to dominate. Finally, Black Metal Stars is the most beautiful thing the RATs as a band have ever recorded - from the swooping bassline, to the ride cymbal, to the guitars and vocals. This is the album for people who aren't already big fans to buy first.  
 
Standout Tracks:
  Black Metal Stars, Little Caesar On A Bicycle, Tuesdays are Just as Bad  
 
Rating:
   
         
 
Recording:
  Sweet Bird Of Youth  
 
Label:
  Merge  
 
Date:
  2000  
 
Review:
  The Rock*A*Teens seem to release one album every 13 months; however, it was closer to 18 months from Golden Time to Sweet Bird Of Youth. Although, the basic sound is in place, much around the periphery has changed: the bass is deeper, the vocals are louder, and there are keyboards in the mix. On paper, the expansion and growth looks like a good thing, and on a number of songs, it is. However, on the whole, this album has a disjointed feel: some tracks are mixed louder than others, and oftentimes it's hard to pick out instruments amidst the wall of echo. Furthermore, at 17 songs, it's clear that some of the material could have been jettisoned without hurting the overall quality. Overall, it's a good step forward in the architecture, but the effect is mixed.  
 
Standout Tracks:
  (If I Wanted to be Famous) I Woulda Shot Someone, Betwixt or Between, It's All in Your Head  
 
Rating:
   
         
         
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