Every now and then you stumble across a band that just exudes talent and class. Rehab for Raputurists have the potential to be that kind of band, and having recently released their debut EP, they are well on the way to becoming well known in the area.
The band is made up of Jim Highmore and James Haughton, and the duo seem to have a fairly eclectic range of influences, with tracks like It Came From Mexico and Everyone Here Wants You (To Go) having a distinctly Americana sound with crunchy guitars, Santana-like solos and Eagles-like flourishes. It Came From Mexico mixes a hoppy ska beat with a growling electric guitar, and the combination works well with Highmore’s vocals.
I have two favourite songs of theirs, and one has to be their cover of the most covered song in history, Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah which the boys make their own with a ukulele, and giving it the title Hallelukulelejah, which I can’t even pronounce. As a big fan of ukuleles myself, I can honestly say that any song sounds better when played on the instrument, and the Rehab for Rapturists cover is more successful than some more mainstream attempts (I’m looking at you, Bono). The other favourite of mine is Fat Girl Trying to Look Sexy, which blends harmonies with ridiculous lyrics, such as “and you know, just what you’re gonna do with that cake …” At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I’d say that’s the best line of any song ever. Ever.
The band’s first EP can be heard online at Reverb Nation, under Rehab for Rapturists, and the track The Apatethic Type has received praise on the music aggregating site The Hype Machine. If the pair keep delivering such promising music, there’s a good chance they’ll be heard around campus a lot more in the coming year.
