The Ravines

Here then is the feel-good tune of the summer! WORKING CLASS GIRL by the recently resurrected Ravines ticks all the right boxes: a dead catchy tune to sing along to. Check. Guitar-driven pop that’s harmony-laden yet mercifully absent of schmaltzy sentiments. Check. Vocal harmonies that penetrate your ears in the nicest way possible. Check. In short, time will be powerless to kick this timeless ditty out of fashion!

The Ravines is the brainchild of multi-talented songwriter, musician and producer Chris Corney (ahab / The Contrast / The Quireboys). Wind back in time when Chris met drummer James Crossley during his stint with UK new wavers The Contrast, and some time later both decided to launch a new outfit titled – yes, you guessed it – The Ravines. That was in 2005, and the resulting album ‘Manifesto Of A Broken Heart’ (produced by Andy Hawkins) won the band a publishing deal with Complete / Universal Music, while the power-pop filled album furthermore became a little cult classic in the US.

And now The Ravines have bounced back with a bang, with the aforementioned new single, and with plans to finish a full album later this year. Meaning a fully fleshed out tour should be on the maps as well. You go, guys!

‘Working Class Girl’ boasts the appreciative line “Stay as you are” and thus should be a hit with, er, working class girls the world over. On the harmony front, the song is reminiscent of early Stones Roses (although slightly more polished here), while the melody is a finest blend of blue-collar Americana and leftfield jangle pop. As for the vocals… what d’ya reckon?! The talent involved are Chris Corney on lead vox and guitars, Edward Mander on bass, James Crossley on drums, and Susanna Benn on backing vox.

This is a solid piece of song-smithery, and I’ll be damned should the full album not meet expectations!