Feedback pedals? Check. Heavy drumming? Check. Dark, soulful lyrics? Check. I guess The Rakes have all the essential elements of a good, spirited indie band. But unlike most indie bands, London-based The Rakes' second album, Ten New Messages contains not a single track that is too hip or too annoying for its own good. According to lead singer, Alan Donohoe, the album was inspired by "a combination of choral music, the television show 24, Bond theme tunes, World War I poets, and the Sugababes."

The influences all play out in the lead single "We Danced Together." Featuring a choral background vocal, the opening lyric sounds like a scene out of a Bond movie: "we danced together on the roof at the party, five stories removed from the troubles on the street."

The album also has its humourous moments, which I suppose also echo Bond movies. The album's cover art is "The Rakes Ten New Messages" written in morse code. There's even a track called "When Tom Cruise Cries," inspired by Cruise's role in the movie Magnolia. And despite the funny name, it's a great rock song. 

The 24 influence must be found in the song "The World Was a Mess But His Hair Was Perfect," because no matter how bad the situation gets on the show, the characters always look perfectly coiffed. Although that might be my read on the situation, because the song was actually penned for a Dior Homme fashion show and originally ran 18 minutes long.  

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