The Raveonettes Channel Warhol and Lynch on "Lust Lust Lust," Plus Exclusive Download

The Ravonettes' Sune Rose Wagner isn't cryptic about the theme of his band's new album Lust Lust Lust. "All the songs are about lust," he says simply of the February 19th album, which is the band's first with Vice Records (they recently parted ways with Columbia). Fans can expect a few more changes, too: Wagner programmed all the bass and drum parts himself, and he says the band has embraced their more cinematic interests, with Andy Warhol, photographer William Eggleston and filmmaker David Lynch among Lust Lust Lust's primary influences.

Lynch is the clear inspiration for opener "Aly, Walk With Me," where fuzzed-out distortion, always the Raveonettes' most potent weapon, sounds more explosive and refined than before. Vocalist Sharin Foo coos about the most scintillating of the deadly sins on "Black Satin" and "You Want the Candy," backed by the band's trademark wall of buzz. "We're one of the few bands that get away with having really nice harmonies but also more abrasive sounds," notes Wagner.

In another attempt to distinguish their new LP, the Raveonettes have wrapped up Lust Lust Lust in 3D packaging, which made it ineligible for the British charts because of an unfair packaging advantage. "The music industry is too slow with getting up to speed with what people want. They are too conservative and too boring for anything innovative to happen," sighs Wagner.

While the record has been out in Europe since November, Lust Lust Lust hits American shelves next month. In the meantime, download this Rock Daily exclusive MP3 of the album's first single "Dead Sound," as remixed by the Dandy Warhols' Peter Holmstrom and the Village Green's Jeremy Sherrer.

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »

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