Great things are predicted for Rooster who have been touted as the UK's answer to Busted. You can't help thinking there must be literally hundreds of bands with a similarly strong repertoire of original
material but Rooster just happen to be there at the right place, right time and with big label backing.
Is it all hype? Well, the debut album is actually quite good. The influences are certainly clear: seventies and eighties rock chiselled by such luminaries as Bad Company and
subsequently Bon Jovi. Both are reasonable benchmarks because Rooster specialise in three minute, radio-friendly toons that are chorus-catchy and have just the
right modicum of attitude and grinding guitar. I can assure you a couple of plays of this and you'll be singing it in your sleep.
At times, the memory of crucial period Dan Reed comes to mind especially on 'Come Get Some' whilst 'Platinum Blind' has the swagger and stadium swell of prime time Def Leppard. 'To Die For'
and 'Deep And Meaningless' demonstrate the band can slow things down when they want to. The latter even has a hint of Robbie Williams. That statement is not meant to shock or sicken but merely to reinforce Rooster's commercial
credentials.
Rooster have got a big promotional push going on and this album, coming after early chart success with the first singles 'Come Get Some' and 'Staring At The Sun', will undoubtedly score. It's the respectable face
of rock. Played by youngsters sounding like seasoned professionals it will only do good for the genre, and let's hope it opens more doors for the several hundred out there who
could emulate its success given half the chance.
***** Out of this world | **** Pretty
damn fine |
*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan |
** Instant bargain bin fodder | * Ugly. Just ugly
