La Rocca
(Dangerbird Records)
Think in terms of making a good, stiff Irish drink, in this case appropriately the Irish Carbomb, combine half a pint of Guinness, a shot of Jameson and a splash of Baileys. Drink it down in one quick shot and you have instant good times. With the band La Rocca, you have three fourths Irishmen, one fourth Limey and funny enough, the best new American band in recent memory. Headquartered in Los Angeles and influenced heavily by American music (think Springsteen and Petty), the band crafted a debut, 2006's The Truth, that screamed instant classic. And their follow-up, Ok Okay, not only picks up where they left off but sprints full speed ahead to the top of the class.
Whereas the The Truth actually took a bit to get going - it wasn't until the fourth track that you really had a classic on your hands, although there was by no means any filler on that record - with Ok Okay there's no waiting. From the opening track, "Argument Never One," there's a sense that you're listening to something special. Sure, they still come across as Rod Stewart meets Coldplay, as singer Bjorn Baillie has that raspy style ala Rod Stewart and keyboardist Nick Haworth's piano is never out of earshot. The track "Half Speed" comes across as Coldplay if they recorded the track of a lifetime, and "Ballad of Arizona" has an epic Americana sound to it. This must have been what it was like back in the ‘70s to discover bands like The Eagles and even Fleetwood Mac being on the cusp of greatness. Stiffer than any good drink, Ok Okay is instant good times.
Standout Tracks: "Ballad of Arizona," "Half Speed," "Roadway Hymn," "Argument Never One" JOSE MARTINEZ
