Let’s Make a Rackett

Princeton’s own three-car garage band releases second CD.

By: Rachel Marx

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From left: Stephen Allen, Nigel Smith, Paul Muldoon, Bobby Lewis and Lee Matthew are rockin’ with Rackett.


   Set Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon’s lyrics to "three-car garage rock" tunes, and the resultant musical anomaly is called Rackett. This Princeton-based band puts the "art" in "smart." The "stud" in "studious." Raising the bar with lyrical parlance that’s up to par, Rackett really does rock.
   "Rackett is like inviting a very clever person over for dinner and conversation, and afterwards cranking the stereo and dancing up a storm," says vocalist Lee Matthew. However, Rackett will be the host rather than the guest at the Community Park Amphitheater in the Pettoranello Gardens Aug. 18. This free concert marks the release of Rackett’s new album, Resistance (Scamafone). Produced by Michael Gregory, Resistance features 10 new songs in Rackett’s varied sound: "Love’s at Large" and "Brighton Rock" have a delectably grungy edge, in contrast to the glowing, post-punk notes of "11 O’Clock" and "Good As It Gets." Resistance is well named, as its titular track is the catchiest: solid rock with just a hint of reggae.
   At first, it seems hard to believe that two Princeton professors (Mr. Muldoon, lyrics; Nigel Smith, bass and vocals), a grad student (Lee Matthew, vocals, guitar, harmonica), an IT guy (Robert Lewis, drums) and a lawyer (Stephen Allen, keyboards, vocals, guitar) could be jamming to songs whose lyrics include lines about when "high still meant falsetto." But don’t be deceived by the subject matter, for as Mr. Allen says, "They’re not throwaway lyrics." Mr. Matthew agrees: "I don’t think his lyrics are any less witty than his poems, but they may be more accessible."
   Mr. Muldoon differentiates between the two art forms. "Poems are different from songs in that they bring their own music with them, whereas the song needs music," he says. "It’s missing something." However, he notes that the best songwriters’ work comes close to closing the gap. Though he does not acknowledge himself to be one of these, his verses give him away, such as one from "Brighton Rock": "Cornerboys leaning against the rain/Flickknives and bicycle chains/Music beginning to make a dent /In the shiny surface of what things meant."
   Stylistically, Resistance is fairly similar to its predecessor, Standing Room Only — a mere 10 months its senior. However, the sound quality is better because it was recorded in a studio. "’Resistance’ is more deliberate than ‘Standing Room Only,’ but not all that much more," says Mr. Matthew. "Issues of clarity and diction were one of the primary reasons that we would fix something," he continues. "Paul is one of the least egomaniacal songwriters I have ever met. If we sing something wrong, chances are he’s going to chime in and say ‘Oh! An improvement.’" No, Paul Muldoon is not one for snobbery of any sort. Of Cole Porter, Ira Gershwin, and Irving Berlin, Mr. Muldoon says, "Their popular songs tend to be humorous or heartbreaking. They have emotional substance. Not that that’s necessarily all we need — sometimes we need froth. Schlock. Sometimes we need ‘People’ magazine rather than the ‘Financial Times.’ Sometimes ‘People’ is precisely what we need."
   On Aug. 18, people will be needed. Come one, come all, People and FT readers alike — you will find that Resistance is truly irresistible.
Rackett will perform at the Community Park Amphitheater in Pettoranello Gardens, Route 206 and Mountain Avenue, Princeton, Aug. 18, 8 p.m. Admission is free; www.rackett.org