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Having first featured Rooster toward the end of 2004, Gigwise has watched with interest at the band’s development and public perception. To be perfectly honestly we’re still none-the-wiser – they seem to have inherited the fans of Busted (RIP), but continue to tour strongly on the smaller circuits that aren’t associated with pop bands. Maybe their debut record can offer some more clues…
‘Joy Ride’ has an opening not-too-dissimilar to the Chili Peppers’ ‘Give It Away’ – but soon turns into something much different. Power chords kick in, and Nick Atkinson throws everything into the vocals… it’s ok. First single ‘Come Get Some’ has a brilliant pop hook and chorus with a tonne of attitude, while ‘Standing In Line’ romps along inoffensively. Recent top ten hit ‘Staring At The Sun’ is simply a power-ballad, and perhaps best demonstrates how sometimes Rooster could benefit from a less dramatic approach, especially in the vocals. ‘To Die For’ goes for an acoustic approach, has a lighters-in-the-air chorus, but is actually quite bland. The pace is picked up again in ‘You’re So Right For Me’, but it isn’t the band’s best work.
‘Platinum Blind’ is about society’s obsession with credit card spending – but fuck that, the guitars rock and it’s a decent listen. Why it is they go back to the ballads again is baffling – ‘Deep And Meaningless’ is bog-standard, only made interesting by the solo ‘borrowed’ from Slash. ‘She Don’t Make Me Feel’ has power chords that would make you think they are an American rock group (you decide if that’s good or bad) whilst ‘Angel’s Calling’ has a great melody and arrangement – it’s the best of the slow-tempo tracks. The album is closed with ‘Drag The Sunrise Down’ – and it is the best of the lot. A classy tune, Atkinson’s vocals are well employed in a chorus full of attitude – and it ends with guitarist Luke Potashnick making his instrument scream. Shame that there isn’t more of this.
