Raccoon Fighter at Glasslands Gallery
Raccoon Fighter have something of a split personality. Most of the time they have a big, flashy sound with a bit of sheen. Songs like Slave Dancer and No Lover remind me of some of the more punk glam bands, say The Stooges or the New York Dolls. Obviously the band itself is not the least bit glamorous, and they're not really punk either. Their music is too much fun to be punk. It's just sort of a clean and catchy rock-n-roll style.
The thing is, they also have a distinct garage-rock style which emerges on songs like Butcherette and The Upbeat. On these songs they sound heavier, sloppier and a bit more serious. These songs stand out because they sound so different, which I suppose adds a nice bit of contrast to the set.
I wonder how a band can end up with two really distinct styles like that. Could the band have two songwriters? Could they be evolving out of their early garage style into a more confident sound? I don't know but I'm not all that concerned. If you enjoy rock music you'll like both.