After a string of now-collectable 7” singles and seemingly relentless gigging throughout Australia, the wait is over: Money For Rope, one of the city’s most endearingly authentic rock‘n’roll acts, has finally released their debut full-length.
At nine songs and over 37 minutes, the self-titled release is well worth the wait. Sprawling and punctual, Money For Rope delivers on the hype with a collection of tracks that exposes the band’s appreciation of sweaty rock and roll, bombastic groove and hints of psych for good measure. Each of the nine jams maintains a distinct personality that could have them stand strong on their own; yet when they’re fused together on the album, a glorious (albeit drunken) marriage occurs.
But let’s get down to the nitty gritty, which is exactly what Money For Rope would want: the most important thing about Money For Rope is that it may end up being one of the year’s most genuine rock records.
Oozing with a machismo that is never arrogant or overbearing, the album is all vibe. The gritty riffs lay a respectable enough foundation before an intense rhythm section (that’s two drummers, folks) that lays down a pool of sweat thick as molasses. Four minute tracks simply aren’t supposed to last this long. The opening half of Money For Rope, from the sexed-up shuffle of Common Man to the psychedelic late-night romp of Misery Lane, allows the band to find their footing. Been In The Wars will surely win over the reluctant group of rock fans, those getting on in age who believe that the best days of rock and roll are long gone. There’s a heaviness present that cannot be overlooked. With this kind of attention to detail, Money For Rope could’ve held their own with the stadium rock giants of the ‘70s. However the only knock might be that the band hesitates on allowing their explosive live set to shine through on record early on.
The second half of the record lays all worries to rest. Ten Times is a vicious sonic assault. Since I Left moves in a thousand directions, but does so with a poignant sense of purpose. Money For Rope have made a name for themselves as always displaying just that: an esteemed sense of purpose. The secret to the success of Money For Rope may be that the band lack just that: a secret. Unabashed in its appreciation of rock giants which laid the foundation, the album harkens back to a time before rock and roll became diluted into a thousand estranged cousins. The challenge with the debut record for a great live band is bottling their energy on record. Money For Rope is an incredibly potent drink.
Money For Rope have yet to truly align themselves to a genre-specific scene, instead gigging with a variety of bands at any given opportunity. They’ve maintained an old-fashioned belief that enough hard work will pay off.
And Money For Rope surely does.
BY JOSHUA KLOKE
Best Track: Ten Times
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Circuital MY MORNING JACKET Static/Crash THE MARK INSIDE
In A Word: Bombastic
