Rodeo Boys play in the punk circuit but there's so much going on in their music. I'll broadly summarize it as guitar music. This description, of course, might be biased from my first impression when I caught the last 5 minutes of a set at Fest which was basically just Tiff Hannay shredding on the floor in an impressive close to their set.
But that impression holds up based on my repeated listening to Junior too. Junior is the band's second full-length, out now on Don Giovanni. It draws from punk, post-hardcore, grunge, and a whole bunch more. Musically, I'd say it's the most in line with heavier '90s alt-rock in many ways, but it's more grounded, more personal in tone, and the songs are (mostly) on the shorter side -- which are also traits I personally prefer, by the way.
The opening "Sam's Song" is a dark yet empowering tonesetter for the record. Based on a friend's experience with a groomer, it carries some serious emotional weight but, more importantly, it's effective. The tension builds into an empowering release. Hannay's vocals are equally raw and powerful in tandem with the lyrics. The entirety of Junior is not so dark though. "Peonies" continues dealing with complex emotions, but counters with some brighter guitars and more of a soaring vocal mood.
I might hold up "All American Man" as the example of the band's 1990s influence, in this case with a slower, hook-driven approach that's still built around the melody, adding more volume dynamics to drive the mood. Then sometimes they go a bit more '70s rock, still hook-driven but the guitar really takes over on "Venus Fly Trap," "Cowgirl in the Dark," or the closing track, "Bite The Bullet" which adds some crescendo prog elements and a blast of '80s-style solos where they build it up and then tear it apart at the finish. "Sam's Song" and "Speedway" are a couple personal favorites, both of which blend personal storytelling with some up and down dynamics and big crunchy guitars.
While there's a lot of varied influence here, Rodeo Boys never feel derivative. The band has its own empowered attitude and bold sound, equally reflective and somber at times. It's down to earth and Midwestern in vibe, which shouldn't come as a surprise given that the band comes from Lansing, Michigan. The song title "Cowgirl in the Dark" kind of captures it all.
I don't (consciously) chase trends or, honestly, pay much attention to that side of the industry. But the band has been on tour with Laura Jane Grace and this record rips. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Rodeo Boys take a leap to the next level of popularity, and they deserve it.
