A Rocket to the Moon – Greetings From…

28 October 2008, Joe @ 10:33 pm A Rocket to the Moon Greetings From...

After a long and gruelling two weeks, I’m finally back in action. While I’d like to say I was on vacation in the middle of Madagascar saving helpless elves from a fiendish dragon, I’m sad to report I was only swamped with midterms. Although if you’d like to believe in the earlier, feel free. But without too much commotion, I’d like to introduce today’s band. An artist I reviewed back in March is back under a new label and wielding a completely new sound. A Rocket to the Moon has been signed, and to none other then Fueled By Ramen. FBR is slowly building one of the greatest empires in the mainstream powerpop industry. With an incredibly stacked line up, it is almost a sure thing whenever they sign a new artist. While A Rocket to the Moon has always had the potential to be a huge success, it’s Nick Santino’s highly revamped sound which has won me over….again.

Greetings From… is the new EP by A Rocket to the Moon released under the FBR umbrella. I expected only the best from Nick when listening to the new EP, and I was more than satisfied with the finished product. Dropping the synthetic and mellow dramatic persona in favour of a new mainstream powerpop act, he has definitely come a long way. With crowd pleasing music, it is a huge step in a different direction. While I thoroughly enjoyed all of his former EPs, I found his self produced albums to be a little drab and amateur at times, and this is no longer the case.

Nick has always been creative in his sound, but to tackle a mainstream genre, and still keep it original is a task for anyone. All five tracks have that Rocket to the Moon aura about them. Beginning with track one, If Only You Knew, we get our first taste of what I hope will eventually become a full length. Right off the bat I can name another band that has a similar sound in terms of instrumentals and production, The Maine. Using the same style of aggressive instruments to produce a thoughtful and catchy melody is the first big change. It sounds like mainly live instruments are used, from the guitar to the drums which create a more vibrant and fuller sound. Beyond that, the vocals have taken a huge transformation, no longer hiding behind the synths which have slowly been pawned off to hip hop artists, instead using his natural vocals to produce the perfect match. Nick has always had very decent vocals, but with the more exciting, catchy music, they really found a home for his voice. If Only You Knew is an amazing powerpop track, full of catch, heart and soul.

The final four tracks follow this formula to create different but such amazing powerpop songs. Dakota, the first single to be released from this EP, has a great melody and an incredibly catchy chorus. The lyrics are thoughtful and addictive, and after a single listen I found myself humming the melody and singing the verses. The great thing about Greetings from… is the simplicity behind the music. Dakota is essentially a great chorus and melody followed up with simple verses, and this is what I enjoy in my powerpop. The stylistic mixture of sounding outrageous and exciting while still fulfilling the emotional aspect of music, is what bands like The Maine have done, and now so has A Rocket To The Moon.

I’m Not Saying Goodbye, may be the most average song on this track, and with that said it’s still very good. I say average because there is no catchy hook behind the track, and the melody is aggressive and loud but nothing that will remain stuck in your mind. The tones and tempo don’t change very much from the verse to the chorus which is probably why it seems so familiar, yet it’s still a very nice listen. I also enjoyed the lyrics in this song, and found the vocals to flourish over the common melody. Fear Of Flying is one of my favourites, and a song I had previously heard when it was first released as an acoustic song months ago. The new remastered version in this EP is full of the same characteristics of the other tracks; including vibrant instrumentals, passionate and fulfilling vocals and meaningful substance. I thoroughly enjoyed the original and I’m completely smitten with the new version, which is a great way to compare the A Rocket to the Moon of old and of new.

The album ends with Just Another One, my favourite track from A Rocket To The Moon and absolutely perfect in every way. Taking into account all the elements of a great powerpop song, including the melody, creativity, vocals and meaning, Just Another One fulfills each role perfectly. With the most simple yet satisfying melody and a creative and upbeat chorus, it is enviably a match made for success. The vocals are easy going and expressed in an honest and meaningful way. Fueled By Ramen sure knows how to pick them, and A Rocket To The Moon is on a level that has far preceded its former self.

AWmusic