The Rocket Summer
The Rocket Summer, headed by sole member Bryce Avery, is a one man band from Colleyville, Texas. Bryce is most noted for his high pitched voice which is the key component to his vibrant power pop style. After hearing him live at the Sleeping With Giants tour, it was his passion for music and his clear presence on stage that really drove me to further check out his music. From the frantic jumping, to the keyboard solos, and the constant switching of instruments, Bryce Avery impressed just about every one in that venue, and got the crowd roaring. But if not for his live performance, what does his music have to offer?
His power pop style is nothing new to the music industry, but Bryce incorporates a genuine happiness to his music that cannot be denied. Unlike the sounds you hear from Disney, or major record labels, his joy is not manufactured. His upbeat music comes from the heavy use of pianos, and aggressive chorus lines. The variation of instruments is what really drives the pop sound, unlike other bands which will often use synthesized sounds to create an upbeat sound. I’ve listened to Hello Good Friend, and Do You Feel, quite thoroughly over the past week and was impressed with both albums.
Hello Good Friend, is definitely the softer of the two albums. This album has a heavier use of acoustic guitar, and solo pianos. It includes much cleaner instrumentals and slower paces for half of the album. The other half is his usual, upbeat, high key, fast paced, pop influenced rock. The two notables off this album are Never Knew and Brat Pack, which are coincidently back to back. Never Knew is a sad toned song, which starts off with his traditional piano solo and soft vocals, which quickly turns into a very aggressive emotional song, that has a strong chorus as the kicker. Brat Pack on the other hand starts off with a piano riff as well, but has a much more vibrant beat, and quickly becomes a memorable song that proves to be more of the happy power pop that has made The Rocket Summer famous.
Do You Feel, the most recent album, is much more vibrant and only because it is more consistent in terms of the happy-go-lucky songs attached to The Rocket Summer. Even the sadder songs, are fast paced and do a good job of displacing the passion that I saw at the concert. The most memorable song off this album is So Much Love, which truly embellishes what The Rocket Summer is all about.
The Rocket Summer – Never Knew
The Rocket Summer – So Much Love
