CMJ 2k6 Preview: The Rinse

Will Bates started out as a child actor in London, playing the role of Toby for a couple of episodes of Dear John. As he grew older, he gravitated increasingly to music--finding work as a songwriter for British television and making dance records for fun. By 2002 he was ready for a change and moved to Brooklyn, where he quickly made friends with fellow out-of-towners James Rickman, Ryan Gruss, and Josh Nelson. They decided to form a band that would infuse pop hooks and post-punk sensibility over dance beats and from there, the rest reads like a slice of VH1 history...

The Rinse started writing and playing out, sharing the stage with bands like iForward, Russia!, We Are Scientists, The Like, and Maroon 5 in both the UK and the US. They traveled to SXSW where crowds embraced them enthusiastically and even made a video diary of the experience for Blender magazine, but the rabid success that their contemporaries felt was elusive for The Rinse. Then in the spring of 2006, their longtime bassist Josh Nelson left the band to pursue his doctorate in neurology. Though the future seemed uncertain, the band soldiered on with Megan X rounding out the line-up. In the coming months, the band grew even stronger. After playing a month-long residency at Pianos, The Rinse began working on their debut album in California. Next up is an EPentitled The Rinse, Sir and two shows at CMJ.

Below, you'll find two tracks that perfectly showcase the bands' unique pop meets post punk meets electronica sound. Off of their upcoming EP, "What To Lose" features a killer guitar riff and dirty dancehall beats that launch into a huge chorus. It's a bit darker than some of their previous material, but the band is incredibly tight and the song is incredibly catchy so I think that just may be a good thing. "Naughty" is a slightly older number that is available for free download on their website. From the addictive melody to the punchy drums and the schoolyard back-up vocals on the chorus, this song is just ridiculous fun. Much like the band.

Nov. 1: Fenway Recordings Showcase [9pm] Club Midway
Nov. 4: CMJ Party [5pm] The Tank

Myspace: The Rinse
Audio: "What To Lose"
Audio: "Naughty"