Like the components for your typical roast dinner, some ingedients are just meant to be together -- you know, take or leave the sprouts; add a few more spuds? Or if wanna be alternative and lob some red crap on your taties, that's fine too, but for decades we've known what goes down well.
Let's take your classic, chart-hitting rock song. When simple melodies collide with memorable hooks and an anthemic 'sing a long if you know the words' chorus you're on the right lines.
Newcomers Rogue States have been compared with the likes of Snow Patrol and reverb-heavy rockers U2 (minus the twat with the shades) and on first listen to their debut single 'Lights', you can quite easily hear quite a likeness to Sunshine Underground or Scottish quartet Idlewild too, a band who never really reached the acclaim they deserved.
From the Christmassy feel-good keys, punchy chordwork and stadium whoa-whoaing to the towering choruses, flossed with vocalist Michael Clarke's soaring vocals, you get the impression that these could be ones to watch.
Whilst never daring to stray from formula, Rogue States sure know how to write a good, catchy tune. Someone should tip Radio one to get it some airplay, instead of that gushy goon from Owl City.
www.roguestates.net
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Chris, Birmingham around 5 months, 4 weeks ago