Rob's Album Of The Week: Ravi Shavi

Over the past year and a 1/2, Providence post-everything revolution rock & rollers Ravi Shavi have been burning up the music scene like wildfire. During the summer of 2012, Ravi Shavi played in front of a near packed house at The Met in Pawtucket during the Deer Tick curated music festival DudeSmash in June and then they followed it up by playing the Friday edition of The Newport Folk Festival's after parties at The Newport Blues Cafe in July. Playing those two huge shows and being one of the most energetic bands out there today, Ravi Shavi are well on their way to being a household name. Their debut self-titled record coming out this week should further them towards their destiny because it's infectiously amazing.

Led by the electrifying enigma known as Rafay Rashid on guitar and vocals along with Ben Tucker keeping the rhythms on drums, Bryan Fielding plucking the bass and Nick Politelli backing up Rafay on guitar, Ravi Shavi combines the raw sound of old-school garage rock, the essence of punk, the gleam of doo-wop and the flamboyance of glam without the makeup to create a brand of rock & roll that will make you dance and shake your hips right from the first strum. Rafay is the lifeblood of the band with the way he moves like a young Iggy Pop while having the confidence of a Lou Reed-type by serenading on the microphone as if he was a beat poet. The debut album provides an excellent display of the emphatic sound of their live performance as well, if you don't start going absolutely crazy and bust a move right when you listen to the first track I don't know what will.

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Every week, this is the part of this piece of music journalism that is the moment of truth. It shouldn't be that much of a surprise to you since I've been writing this blog for over a year now and hopefully you found enough gumption within yourself to waste your time by at least reading one of my album reviews. But hey, it's time for me to tell you my favorite tracks off of Ravi Shavi's self-titled debut. It's never easy, in a strange way it's kind of like paying your taxes but this time the money (in this case, my mental anguish) is going to something you absolutely love. Where do I begin? anyways, here goes something:

"Indecisions" starts off with one of my favorite lyrics of all-time: "You're out of my league, I'm in my element, come home with me, just for the hell of it". This song is so pristine and groovy that every time I listen to it I always get a little hop in my step and I shuffle my feet like a madman. "Bloody Opus" is only a minute and a 1/2 long but it kicks, the ultimate rock & roll party song of the 21st Century. "Local News" is all about Rafay's criticism of mainstream media, how it's the same old crap and it never changes. Unlike mainstream media, the track is never dull, it will give you that strange feeling in your legs and you'll be cutting a rug in no time. Don't just take my word on just a few, every track on Ravi Shavi's debut is simply exquisite.

Ravi Shavi will be celebrating the release of their debut with Atlantic Thrills, The Rice Cakes and Napoleon at Firehouse 13 on 41 Central Street in Providence this Saturday on January 26th and you better go to experience 4 dynamic bands that will guarantee a spectacular time. They're bound to hit your friendly neighborhood music venue sometime soon, but until then grab a copy of Ravi Shavi's debut and blast it through your speakers like there's no tomorrow.

- Rob Duguay