Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Kick him to the curb baby, don't stop running

If you listened to Wikipedia, your main impression of Rooster would be that they were an "English indie rock band." Now, not that there are no good indie bands, but the term "indie" definitely carries with it certain associations (are they really signed to an independent label?) and expectations of a certain sound. Rooster might not be pop (they could be, but I have suspicions that, especially recently, they might not liked to be called that), and they might not be pop-rock, but they definitely don't sound like what you (or at least I) expect an indie band to sound like; if you're not going to call them pop or pop-rock, I think the best description would just be rock. In fact, their sound is something that might even appeal to classic rock fans. That said, some of the songs from their self-titled first album are really catchy and worth listening to as long as you're not turned off by a large dose of guitars.

Come Get Some--Rooster's debut single, and a good choice for that--though rocky, it's also catchy, with a great shout-along chorus. In fact, the bridge would be great to shout along with as well. Don't let all this talk of "shouting" fool you, though--underneath it all is a very pop structure, as well as song (you can already hear that pop-ness if you really think about it--imagine the song without guitars, or without such loud guitars, and it really would be clearly pop; since the guitars, though, are mainly busy with hooks or just adding a bit of added power to the lyrics, the catchiness is only enhanced). In fact, this song, even in the verses (though they're not as shout along-able), just oozes catchiness--or, more accurately, threatens to smash a guitar over your head with its catchiness.

Platinum Blind--an album track, but for me, it's one of the catchiest songs on the album. One of the great things about both "Platinum Blind" and "Come Get Some" is that their bridges are at least as catchy as their choruses (here, I'd argue that the bridge is even catchier than the already catchy chorus)--not only will you have "Wanna lose the plot/spend some money that I ain't got" stuck in your mind, you'll also have "Acting like you're loaded/Knowing that you're broke" replaying in your head all day. I expected this song, with a title like "Platinum Blind," to be about something like falling in love with a blonde, but it's actually about overspending on your credit card--and really, there aren't enough songs about that, are there? Especially ones backed by guitars?

To buy Rooster's debut album, Rooster, go here (physical) or here (digital).

Huge thanks to Tip Top Pop (which linked to me forever ago, but I kept forgetting to thank) and Catchy Tunes of Sweden for linking to be. Tip Top Pop is incredibly thorough and will introduce you to both artists and versions of songs you didn't even know existed; Catchy Tunes of Sweden has songs with more catchiness than is probably legal and will introduce you to some absolutely amazing artists. They are both sites I check possibly obsessively (I'm beyond thrilled to be linked to by them) and absolute must-visits for anyone who doesn't already read them!

Next up: maybe an old song by someone who was an album coming out soon.

2 comments:

Paul said...

aw my rooster boys - i don't understand their swift fall from grace here - i don't think the record company had any idea how to market them at all. Boy band? indie band? retro rock band? There are some sparkling gems on the second album too and the lead singer was so right to buzz his hair!

Poster Girl said...

I've liked the couple of their new songs you've posted (though they do seem a bit more rock--there was always a healthy dose of rock with Rooster, and they may have always been a rock band, but songs like "Come Get Some" might have had a certain something about them that may have allowed even people who aren't really rock fans to like them, too...maybe there was a bit more pop influence, a bit more "pop" [here, not as in the music genre, but as in popping out] or catchiness, in "Come Get Some"? I quite like the new stuff, though, so I'm just guessing...), so I'm a bit confused about how quickly fortune seems to have stopped favoring them, too--you may be onto something about the marketing.

(I have a plan to lend the first album to my brother without telling him anything about the band, and I bet he'll love them! It's a shame that some people--some fans of rock--may have written them off just because they happen to be young, decent-looking guys...I have a feeling he'd do the same, though, so I'm going to take out the cover first ;) )