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INFUZE MAGAZINE
The Rocket Summer: Do You Feel
Posted by Nathan Knapp
11:21 PM Tuesday, 26 June 2007 | Permalink

When was the last time you listened to a band or album where every instrument was played by one person? Enter Bryce Avary, musical extraordinaire and creative genius behind The Rocket Summer. It all started about four years ago, with the brilliant Calendar Days, which was comprised of simple yet beautiful piano rock, and progressed to 2004’s Hello, Good Friend, which found Avary experimenting vocally and maturing in huge ways musically and lyrically. What I’m trying to say is that while The Rocket Summer’s new release, Do You Feel, is Avary’s first mainstream release, he’s been around awhile—acquiring a ridiculously loyal fan base through an incredible live show.

As compared to previous albums, Do You Feel is more polished, slickly produced and smoothly executed. You might say that The Rocket Summer is more ready for radio than TRS has ever been; this album sounds more like an actual band effort than anything Avary has done before. Yet that raw indie-rock musicianship is still there, the second half of the album features arguably the most well-written songs Avary has ever composed—and that’s what separates this album from a host of others coming out this summer.

The album starts out with the hip-shaking “Break It Out,” and the funkish “So Much Love,” both of which detail a new musical direction for TRS, with a bigger, more expansive sound. The next few tracks seem to be missing the emotional honesty of his previous records—up until “All I Have,” a heart rending song where Avary sings:

All I have is all of me,
And it’s all I have to give.
Disappointed hearts will heal,
Our hearts will spill
Over you, over me—
Over this.

“High Life Scenery,” is in the classically optimistic view of previous TRS efforts, but “A Song Is Not a Business Plan” takes a slightly more bitter route in a stinging diatribe against the music industry’s familiar pattern of unoriginal/uncreative bands rising to the top. What makes it really interesting is that this is TRS’ most commercial record—however, Avary appears to have lost none of his creativity or lyrical insight. This is nowhere more poignant than on “Taken Aback,” which is possibly the best vocal ever recorded on a TRS album. “Colors,” celebrates wedded bliss, yet draws a paradoxical parallel to the next track, “Run to You,” a beautifully apologetic ballad that sends chills up my spine every time I listen to it. (I almost inserted some of the lyrics but you have to experience the song for yourself to truly see what I mean.)

The next two tracks are a near perfect blend of The Rocket Summer’s new and old styles, with driving verses and anthemic choruses. However, the closer, “So, In This Hour…” may be the record’s crowning achievement. The song begins with sweeping melodic guitars, soaring vocals and lyrics that would pierce the heart of event he most apathetic listener—and features the most incredible mid-song tempo change with a piano I’ve ever heard.

With Do You Feel, the Rocket Summer has many touches of greatness while still staying within a very accessible framework—something that may have this album in the ears of a great many listeners before the summer is over.