Archive for the ‘A Rocket To The Moon’ Category
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.
Check out their Myspace for official tour dates and album info.
A Rocket to the Moon – Dakota
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A Rocket to the Moon – Fear of Flying
A Rocket To The Moon Review
I’m a big fan of one man bands because more often than not, they get it right the first go around. A Rocket To The Moon is a pop-punk/electronica band fronted by sole member Nick Santino and he got it right. Unlike a lot of other solo projects, Nick doesn’t play a wide variety of instruments, not that he lacks the talent, but because his music relies almost exclusively on his ability to work with synths. His talent to compose, sequence, and produce catchy, care-free pop-rock makes him a talent worth noting.
Santino is not very well known, though he does rock a pretty solid fan base. He has made great strides in his career including his upcoming appearance at Bamboozle, a huge two day music festival located in New Jersey that showcases some of North America’s hottest pop-rock bands. A Rocket To The Moon is a unique pop-punk/electronica fusion because Nick opts for the slower jams rather than the dance-rock alternative. This gives listeners an inspiring, feel-good listen that keeps you lucid, entertained and craving for more.
I can’t praise Santino’s vocals, because it’s often masked with synths, nor his instrumental skills, because they are very simple guitar and keyboard riffs. But I will rave about his ability to compose some of the most fun, touching and catchy beats I’ve heard recently. Santino has shown natural talent and an ear for music. The synths he uses are not to cover up a lack of talent, at least not in my opinion, but to complement his simple down to earth style of playing. Everything meshes to precision, and though I don’t doubt he has great live talents, it simply isn’t necessary for his style of music.
Although there are about a dozen or so songs of his spanned across the internet, it is difficult to find any full EPs. As such I’ve had the opportunity to listen to a mix of his old demos with his new work, and am impressed by all his songs. The two most notable for me, is his new demo Fear of Flying, and a song off of his Summer 07 EP, Baby We’re Invincible. Baby We’re Invincible shows a lot of the synthetic sounds he uses to create emotionally-driven music that is both relaxing and soulful. Fear Of Flying, tones down the synths and uses natural vocals and a more prominent acoustic guitar role. At the same time, it provides a very modern power pop song, that’s moving and catchy.
Nick Santino and A Rocket To The Moon are not fully developed, and you can tell from listening to them. But I’m hard pressed to find anything that will prevent this guy from making it big; he’s got the sound, the soul, and the inspiration to do great things. Especially after listening to his most recent work, we find that he can break away from his bread and butter, synthetically driven melodies, and still produce a refined, refreshing power pop hit. Although it is the synths that has made him a myspace hit, Santino look’s to have a variety of tricks up his sleeves and I can’t wait for a future album.
Check out their Myspace for official tour dates and further streams.
