CDs that have cool cover art rarely suck. So when I opened up my Rackets and Drapes CD and saw the tall, thin garishly-dressed green man with an evil smile beckoning me into a candy house, I knew I had a winner.
Rackets and Drapes is the newest sensation, being called the "Christian Marilyn Manson." Rackets and Drapes, while having a lot of the elements that Marilyn Manson has, is not a clone. While having many similarities, such as the outragous dress code and spooky atmosphere, Rackets & Drapes has a more industrial sound and a heavier reliance on samples in introducing their songs. Rackets & Drapes' sound can best be called a mixture of goth/shock/metal-industrial rock. After the beginning samples or electronic noises, the songs basically consist of the singer switching between a goth-like whisper and a metal scream. The guitars are very clean and technical, a lot like you would find on most modern industrial albums.
Lyrically, Rackets & Drapes is a very issue and topic-driven band, with song topics ranging from abortion to the danger of children talking to strangers tochild abuse to hypocrites in the church. I really liked the lyrics to the album's opening track, "BaBy KiLLeR"
Rackets & Drapes has something good going here, with solid lyrics and songs, catchy beats, and some killer artwork. With some more time and better production, Rackets and Drapes could go from a good band to a great one.
By Joe Rockstroh
