How easy is it to love a good pop song? The first time I saw Rocketscience, let's say around five years ago, they rocked through a killer set of not just good, but remarkable, amazing, impeccable pop songs. It was at T.T. the Bear's Place and for their last trick they pulled out this terrific snarky romp of a tune called "Matter of Fact." But before playing, bass player Aaron Stein switched to lead guitar and vocals, lead singer Andy Galdins headed back to the drums, drummer John Barber hopped on rhythm guitar and lead guitarist Jon Towne took over the bass.
I'd forgotten all about "Matter of Fact," but at a recent rare acoustic double-header on the Abbey Lounge's new pub stage, they did it, complete with the instrument change-up. When asked if they ever get accused of showing off by doing that, they answer immediately and enthusiastically.
"No!" yells Jon Towne. "We can all play all the instruments! Andy's a good drummer, Aaron is a GREAT guitar player who only plays bass out of necessity like Paul McCartney did. If we were showing off, we... we'd be..."
"Jumping through flaming lassos," offers Barber.
"Building a huge mousetrap onstage," says Towne.
"No, making a ship in a bottle!"
"I'M gonna do a hundred push-ups."
Enormous rodent contraptions and upper body challenges aren't what you get when you walk into a rock club where Rocketscience is playing. What you do get is a spectacularly tight rock band leaning heavily on classic influences (especially The Beatles), catchy stop-and-go chord progressions, clever sing-along choruses, surprising a capella breaks and soulful vocals telling of love's bittersweet follies. The key to the magic of Rocketscience, though, is their harmonies.
Little else in music is as irresistible as a great harmony. When the guys of Rocketscience sing together it's like they were put on the planet to do just that. It's hard to tell if such sweet tones are natural and effortless or practiced and polished. Whether it IS easy or not, this band makes flawless harmony look like the proverbial piece of cake.
When asked to try to explain the magic of a good pop song, deftly arranged, as addictive and decadent as candy from strangers, Aaron shrugs modestly and says "We just know what we like to hear." In order to know what you want to hear, "you have to listen to the last forty years of really good music," offers Jon Towne. "Led Zeppelin. The Beatles. Sting. Nirvana. Beastie Boys." Aaron displays a refreshing humility about his own songcraft, leaving his bandmates to sing (so to speak) his praises. When he writes songs for Andy to sing, even biographical ones, the lyrics express exactly what Andy wants to say. "We just know each other so well," offers Andy.
Rocketscience's drive to wave the flag of big people-pleasing pop makes Squeeze and Beatles comparisons easy and expected. As long as people continue to love smart, angular pop songs, Rocketscience will continue to boast emulation of their influences, and they'll do it with their trademark finesse and style.
Speaking of style? It should be noted that this band has matured into a classier, more stylish version of themselves. Five years ago Rocketscience could be counted on to take the stage stunningly hammered, with Andy having thrown his sweaty T-shirt aside, totally different from the casual cool of the jeans, jacket and tie look he sports today. "The Figgs used to called us Beer Science," recalls Andy. "There were times when we couldn't play our instruments. At one show, five of us drank twelve pitchers. It was bad." Hearing the CDs recorded off the board was what turned their attitudes around. "We sucked and we kept calling for beer between songs," recalls Jon Towne. Advice to young touring bands? "If you go up there fucked up, you WILL suck."
The first full length Rocketscience CD, self-titled, was released last month, and it doesn't suck at all. The CD takes off with one of its standouts, the catchy "She's My Girl," and runs through to the end with beautiful vicissitude, veering from barely-subdued raunch to non-ironic schmaltz to self-deprecating petitions for romantic consideration.
Clever lyrics and memorable melody abound, but the obvious highlight is "Writer's Block," a clever play on a songwriter-in-progress looking for inspiration. "Might be you and me so hopelessly in love... no words right here," croons Andy. Extra guitars, lush production plus back-up vocals courtesy of Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) make the recording of "Writer's Block" a lot different than the live version and easily an essential "hit," along with "She's My Girl" and "Day or Night."
A buzzworthy CD release party is planned for May 6th at TT the Bear's with Bleu and Auto Interiors. The CD contains eleven sparkling Rocketscience songs, some brand new and some that fans have been awaiting through two teaser EPs---including the aforementioned "Matter of Fact."
www.rocketsciencemusic.com
Uploaded to Youtube by poopsicklemagee
on Feb 21, 2007
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