The Rip Off Artists (http://www.theripoffartists.com) are pop classicists that honestly do not belong in this era. Because of their obsessively detailed devotion to rock & roll craftsmanship, the Rip Off Artists are likely to be dismissed from this generation of slothful sods. You know the score. An obscure band releases an album of exquisite, tasteful songwriting, awash with the golden haze of the Beatles’ boyish harmonies and chiming guitars, and completely ignored because they dared to deliver Art to the table. Shameful, isn’t it?
If the Rip Off Artists are lucky, they’ll get compared to the Postal Service or Death Cab for Cutie by the indie gatekeepers and achieve recognition and popularity through perceived similarities. Which, considering how the lushly performed and subtly beautiful material on “Esque” would have brought a smile to John Lennon’s face, is still not the fate they so richly deserve. Most of the tracks on “Esque” melt in your mouth, from the soaring, celebratory riffs of “So Happy” to the brooding acoustic balladry of “The Look of Like.” Originating from Wisconsin, the Rip Off Artists operate from a decidedly British perspective. They may not cop English accents, but their main inspirations are clearly not of American origin.
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The mid-’90s rush of Britpop was, in some cases, cocky and loud enough to attract stateside audiences. The Rip Off Artists, too, are Britpop yet they operate from a more mellow outlook. “The Present, Tense” recalls Crowded House; it’s a piano-fueled number that opens the record on an upbeat, infectious note. “What Just Happened?” slows down the speed pedal, moving us with its unplugged prettiness and icy synths.
Elvis Costello is another obvious role model for the Rip Off Artists as Napoleon Dynamite’s spectre haunts much of the vocal work on “Esque,” especially on “The Girl Behind the Bar.” But the songs are top notch, written with needle-sharp precision and merciless hooks. It’s one thing to sound like your idols; it’s another to produce material which can be held up to their standards.
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