![940888606 1 [mp3] Introducing // Restorations](http://f.bandcamp.com/z/94/08/940888606-1.jpg "[mp3] Introducing // Restorations")
Post-punk. Screamo-core. Shoegaze. Dream-pop. Electro-ambient-chillwave. Whatever happened to rock?
I was thinking about that question recently when a friend asked me for the name of a good rock band. I started wondering if anyone actually played rock anymore. You know, that guitar-driven, vocal-focused sound composed of guitar/drum/bass? Is there still any of that? Honestly, there’s probably a ton of that. Just visit any bar on $2 Bud night. But are there any good rock bands?
Thank you, Restorations, for renewing my faith in the rock band with two absolutely fantastic songs. Blazing guitar riffs, gruff but powerful vocals, plenty of hooks, emotional songwriting, and a catchy rhythm may not sound that unique, but holy crap this band does it well.
“Neighborhood Song” is pretty much everything I look for in a rock song. It’s loud and rides powerful guitar riffs with just enough jangly rock to remind me of the brilliant 90s “alternative.” Singer Jon Loudon has a rough, cigarette-edged voice that blends with the guitar riffs perfectly, whether singing quietly or aggressively, and the whole track is over far too early for nearly 5 minutes. “Broken Vacuum,” at nearly 6 minutes, is every bit as good and, despite its rather mundane title, it’s the more epic of the band’s tracks. Chiming guitar floats over angry riffs, giving the song a powerful dynamic. There’s even some guitar soloing a la Dinosaur Jr. In an ode to failed expectations, Loudon sings, “Nails to the bone / Piles of plans that never panned out / Nails to the bone / Wrote all these songs about a place I’ve never been…”
There’s not a single bad song on this Philadelphia band’s Bandcamp page, which is mostly two- or four-song EPs. I’m on a mission to track down all the band’s tracks. Because there’s something timeless and eminently appealing about perfect guitar-driven rock songs.
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Restorations // Neighborhood Song [mp3] from Restorations
Restorations // Broken Vacuum [mp3] from Restorations
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