Album Review: Rocket - Versions of You

Rocket

Versions of You

***and1/2 out of *****

The Los Angeles based quartet Rocket toss it squarely back to alternative rock's mid 90's heyday with their debut EP, Versions of You. 

Rocket is comprised of Alithea Tuttle (bass and vocals), Baron Rinzler (guitar), Cooper Ladomade (drums) and Desi Scaglione (guitar) who do an admirable job of reaching  and delivering smoldering guitar driven rock around sweet vocals. Opening with the excellent "On Your Heels" the group eases into things with hip swaying sounds before dropping a heavier then hell breakdown/solo that dives into metal territory; this juxtaposition is dynamite from the young LA band. 

They mix the saccharine sounds and fuzzy, heaviness again on the dreamy/crashing "Pipe Dream" while "Sugarcoated" is a rich excursion into shoegaze as the two guitars layer and fuzz up blissfully. "Portrait Show" and "Trial Run" both stay on the peppier pop side of things with an easy going feeling that works well.    

The drums and bass push "Normal To Me" as the guitars go into scratching overdrive while "Future Memory" wraps up the debut release returning to their soft/loud/soft formula; if it's not broke why try to mess with it? 

Rocket are not breaking any new ground here, inspiration from acts like The Pixies, Dinosaur Jr. Veruca Salt (and more), can be glimpsed in their playing, but Versions of You is a granite solid collection of guitar driven alt-rock that any fan of that genre will enjoy. An impressively strong debut from this Los Angeles act.  

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