The Rocket Summer

Do You Feel

Written by: TL on 15/08/2007 01:47:02

Let's just go right out and say it alright. If you ever like a record by The Rocket Summer, you're gonna treat it like a guilty pleasure, because there probably isn't a bigger cheese-fest around. Chances are however that you ARE going to like it just like that, because while sometimes the happiness meter swings down to obnoxious when measuring this band's songs, it more than often also points on contagious.

Technically The Rocket Summer's fusion of classical guitar/piano driven rock, soul and pop should remind you more than a little of mainstream conquistadors Matchbox Twenty, only not quite as imposing as those guys used to be before what's-his-face went solo, and often the candysweet melodies will remind you of bands like Mae and Something Corporate as well. Now what's really the thing to notice about this band (only bandmember is Bryce Avary in case you didn't know), is the winning formula it has developed and kept well.. raping in the arse ever since. It's not even clever; the dynamic that's continually created, in the jumps between emotive boy band-style quiet parts and over the top nasal soul-ish energy explosions, but it still works pretty well.

The problem is that halfway through the second album I start to get the feeling that it has been the only thing that has been working for just about long enough. It's not that it at any point is performed any worse, it's just that the novelty has kind of worn off, you know. Also, the only notable change between this new album and the old one is the usual deminish in energy and passion that comes when an artist finds himself a little too comfortable with where he's at. Granted it is only very vaguely present here, but it's enough to notice it, and to notice how the songwriting has become just a little more streamlined and.. safe.

To sum up, what I guess I'm trying to say about this album is that, it is pretty much a clone of the previous one, only if you had to get one of them, I'd still recommend getting "the original" as it is at least my opinion that only "So Much Love" from this cd comes close to the feel-good classics "I Was So Alone" and "Around The Clock" of the debut.

6

Download: So Much Love, High Life Scenery, Colors
For the fans of: Matchbox Twenty, Something Corporate, Gavin Degraw
Listen: MySpace

Release Date 17.07.2007
Island Records

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