The 1981 Listening Post - The Rings - Rhythm Method

 Reviewed by Michael O'Toole-Miyashiro

Released: 1981 The Rings Rhythm Method Genre: Power Pop Rating: 3 out of 5 Highlights: Take The Chance Move Over Love's Not Safe Power Pop fans hear the moniker of “derivative” quite often. As an unabashed fan of the genre, I’d like to dive into that “derivative” label a little. Dating back to the early ‘70s, bands like Big Star, Dwight Twilley Band and The Raspberries took the power chords of The Who, the well-conceived tempos of Small Faces, the cheeky humour of The Move and the harmonic honey of The Beach Boys to create something new. They were not being derivative for snark sake, but tried to make it something fresh and revelatory. These bands became the template for a slew of groups arriving in a post-punk wake by the late ‘70s: The Records, Plimsouls, Galaxy 500 - raising the ante with measured tension and inventive playing in a revivified Brit Invasion style. Here is where Boston’s The Rings come into the picture. Developing a following in their native New England with an audience who was ready for their assertive take on the genre; The Rings’ catchy hooks and pleading vocals were served with a rushed excitement that proudly displayed a knowing DIY aesthetic. Their eponymous titled debut from late 1980, The Rings, was a four star winner. From one hook-ridden number to the next, singer Michael Baker’s tough urgency and guitarist Mark Sutton’s ringing jangle had these sonic nuggets sticking with you long after the long player was turned off. Gems like “Third Generation,” “I Need Strange,” and their lone chart single, “Let Me Go,” were exactly what you were looking for in Power Pop - the songs danced on their own. That leads us to their second and final album for MCA, “Rhythm Method” in 1981. The effort the band made to expand their sound was admirable and it was impressive that bassist (Bob Gifford) and drummer (Matt Thurber) attempted funkier bass lines and more intricate ska patterns into their playing - but the songwriting doesn’t quite match up to their previous album. Having just 10 months in between releases, the members were pressed for material, so their sophomore effort comes across as a tad rushed and hallow and few of the tracks drag out the melodic interest with a feeling of truncation, as if they needed a little more time to smoothly incorporate new textures and tempos. Still, their raffish charms managed to push through an ample amount of gems: “Love’s Not Safe” plays with busy signatures but manages to dissolve nicely into the ears; “Move Over” is prime, reflective pop and the haunting “Take the Chance” by their bassist, Gifford, proved he was coming into his own as a clever songwriter. MCA dropped them shortly after, and they remain a footnote in chart nostalgia and for power pop geek fans like me. They deserved better, but fortunately for us, outlets like “The Listening Post” can keep their pop suss and magic going.