There’s already a good few great EP’s out this year and here’s another for your list if you like your Rock modern and smooth around the edges.
New York’s ‘Year of the Locust’ I must admit are a band I’d never heard of before so seeing their name on the Tesla ‘Shock Tour’ poster as special guests came as a bit of a surprise. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that Tesla’s own sticksman Troy Lucckette guests on their single ‘Stay Alive’.
This four track EP however opens with the thick groove of ‘Line ‘Em Up’ a song that just rolls and rolls. It’s a great driving rocker with a southern edge and feels made to jam out. It’s a great start and as you’ll find out the odd one out here.
‘Sorry’ that follows sounds like it’s going to be grittier and more Metallic, but quickly falls into a combination of ‘dialed up’ radio smoothness and a few scattered spoken lines, it’s a song that seems like I’ve heard it a million times, and despite the dark lyric and blistering guitar solo it drifts by without really connecting at all. If you love modern radio rock though I’m guessing you’ll love this, it’s like listening to a polished mash of Creed and Staind with a dash of Shinedown.
The same goes for the single ‘Stay Alive’ it’s all nice and smooth and radio ready, delicate with a change of pace and burst of energy into the refrain. It’s a template that’s served many a band well over the last twenty years and again I know you fans of Modern Radio rock will lap it up.
‘Whispers in the Dark’ the final song on this four track EP sees vocal set across strummed acoustic for maximum emotion. On first play it’s an OK song, not great, but after a few more listens I have to throw my hands up and give in – It’s great, the best thing here by some distance.
I know that four songs here isn’t enough to make a call but there’s enough to suggest that these guys could take the next step. Modern Rock may not exactly be my cup of tea, but rip away the trappings like on that final track and that age old saying holds true ‘A good song is a good song no matter how you dress it up’.
Go on kids have a listen!
Tour Dates:
02/08 @ The Pageant – St. Louis, MO
02/09 @ Murat Theater – Indianapolis, IN
02/12 @ Palace Theater – Greensbourg, PA
02/15 @ Penn’s Peak – Jim Thorpe, PA
02/17 @ House Of Blues – Myrtle Beach, SC
02/19 @ Ryamn Auditorium – Nashville, TN
02/20 @ Buckhead Theater – Atlanta, GA
02/22 @ House Of Blues – Orlando, FL
02/23 @ @ House Of Blues – Orlando, FL