90s genre hoppers R.O.C are reissuing their critically-acclaimed, debut album on Metal Postcard records; ‘R.O.C’ precedes the release of a brand new EP, due for release later this year. John Peel said of R.O.C: “You never know what you’re gonna get next from this lot and I’m all in favour of that” To celebrate this release we have the premiere of the demo version of the track ‘I Want You I Miss You I Need You’? listen here:
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Every track lives on its own fully-formed planet; from the panoramic gloaming lullaby ‘Desert Wind’, the agitated stomp of ‘Excised’, to the celestial reflection of ‘God Willing’ and onwards ‘R.O.C’ is an eventful aural ride across changing landscapes and terrain, from rough to smooth.
Surprises come at every corner, with ‘Hey You Chick’ offering a more ebullient and lusty mood over growling bass, bouncy beats and wah wah. If The Field didn’t hear ‘Balloon’ growing up, he should check it out asap, as they nail the ever-evolving, skywards climbing sound with confidence and panache.
The dubbed-out experimental echoes of ‘Gold Bug’ and the prism-like ambience into space R.O.Ck of ‘Ascension’ contrast brilliantly with ’Dear Nicky’ and ‘Clouds’, which demonstrate their deft and at times camouflaged knack for songwriting, whilst ‘Plastic Jesus’ is a characteristically leftfield cover choice – of the song performed by Paul Newman in ‘Cool Hand Luke’.
Over three albums and fourteen singles/EPs, from “God Willing” (1993) and ‘Girl With A Crooked Eye’ (1994), to 2006’s ‘Night Fold Around Me’, R.O.C have delighted and confounded fans and critics, ignoring musical boundaries to create what has been variously called “the sound of paranoia”, “toxic euphoria”, plus “startling, beautiful and addictive”.
