NEW BLOODS "A RITUAL" EP

I SAW THIS BAND PLAY AN AWESOME, SWEATY, DANCE-CRAZED SHOW IN THE MISSION A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND WAS TOTALLY PUMPED ON THEIR SOUND--DARK, DRIVING, AND EXCITING PRIMAL PUNK ROCK WITH DRUMS, BASS AND VIOLIN (BELIEVE IT).  THIS RECORD DOESN'T QUITE CAPTURE THE RAW ENERGY OF THAT SHOW, BUT IS NONETHELESS GREAT, PULLING FROM INFLUENCES LIKE THE DOG FACED HERMANS, 90'S RIOT GRRL, NEWER STUFF LIKE COUNTY Z, AND IN SOME OF THEIR MORE OFF KILTER MOMENTS THE EARLY RAINCOATS , THOUGH THEY MOSTLY HAVE A SLIGHTLY---FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD--FUNKY FOUNDATION THAT THE RAINCOATS NEVER HAD. THEY ARE DEFINATLEY ON THE MORE DANCE-Y SIDE OF ART PUNK, THOUGH ON THEIR LAST (AND BEST) SONG "CUT" THEY DO A CONVINCINGLY THOUGHTFUL RAINCOATS IMPERSONATION.  i DON'T HEAR TOO MANY BANDS GOING FOR THIS SOUND OVERALL, WHICH IS A SHAME, AND WITH  INTERESTING PERSONAL LYRICS (WITH POLITICAL UNDERTONES THAT TOUCH ON FEMINIST ISSUES), I GIVE THIS  BIG THUMBS UP. (GN)