Brighton’s ROOKS are made up of members of Phinius Gage, Second Monday and Not Katies; a trio of acts you will no doubt have at least heard of if you frequented this site at the beginning of the noughties. While all three bands had a varied sound, their new project is a focused effort, very much reminiscent of the likes of The Hives and Beatsteaks, but with a hardcore bite. Rooks releases their self-titled debut this month – It’s noisy, it’s brash and it’s utterly relentless in its aggressive delivery.
‘The PFK’ gets the party started and is a great introduction to the band, with crunching guitars and powerful vocals building to a big chorus. Rooks take this formula and replicate it nine more times, decorating each tune with dirty, uncomplicated rock ‘n’ roll riffs, showcased nicely in tracks like ‘How Do You Solve a Problem Like Ignorant Bastards’ and lead single ‘Bet It All On Black’.
If the punkier side of the indie scene is your cup of tea, you’ll certainly be doing yourself a favour by checking these guys out. For many, however, the aforementioned relentlessness of their songwriting may be turn-off. The album remains at a comfortable tempo from the first bar and rarely strays into experimentation or even clean guitar. While Rooks have a clear identity and listening to the album is an enjoyable experience, there aren’t enough memorable parts to demand an immediate replay or pick a favourite track. Still, with a little polish and some progression, Rooks could certainly find themselves bothering more than just the underground.
TOM WEST