13 Mar 13 - Rococode

Oh, no - the Canucks (not the hockey team) are invading Chicago ...again, blogspot readers! This time it's Rococode (from Vancouver, British Columbia) on their US rockin' the stage at Double Door along with other bands More Gorgeous and The New Diet featuring a very special late performance by Zombies In the Basement. Besides reviewing Rococode's performance, SouthSide was able to exclusively interview Andy and Laura of Rococode to discuss with them about the band's debut album, Guns, Sex and Glory, the music and if they could take Justin Bieber back to Canada. No such luck on the latter, blogspot readers...

 

It's fun interviewing two people from the same band because you get contrasting answers especially when asking them to define their band in five (5) words or less. Andy described Rococode as "...melody ...gonegothic ...twists and turns..." while Laura said "...harmony ...sonic-textures ...rock rhythms..." Meanwhile this reviewer after seeing their entire Double Door debut had this to say about them "...haunting powerpop ...aria-toned Canucks..." It was amazing to hear such of a vibrant mesh of sounds and textures amidst calming lulls and electrifying riffs flowing throughout Rococode's set, blogspot readers. At times, you were lured into that calming effect and sound before before viciously assaulted (in a nice way) by the blast of percussion and keyboards. Then there were other times when your ears were intrigued by the haunting feel and tone of this Canadian band's melodic tempo and harmonizing rhythms all at once. For Rococode's music being so dark and mysterious, blogspot readers, it does have a way of being danceable pop with a few sparks of energy tucked inside the instrumental. SouthSide enjoyed how each band member performed on stage under a spell of intense momentum not only from the instruments but also vocally whenever the lyrics called for a strong, dynamic feel on the words from Andy and/or soft chilling sensation from Laura. The contrasting lyrical style to SouthSide is what fuels Rococode's enigmatic presence and dark mysteries within their powerpop sound.

 

Each song had it's own complicated yet unique sound and style though you could still hear Rococode's core sound interwoven around the basic melody. It's main job is not only to lure the ears deeper into the band's vibe but draws you closer to the vocalists' (whether it's Andy and Laura or just Laura) words especially when highlighting Laura's softness for that "ghostly" feel, blogspot readers. To say, you might get shivers from some of Rococode's song may be an understatemnt unless you're listening to Ghost - the most haunting number but brief number performed during this set. This reviewer instantly felt the spine-tingling chills running down her back while listening to Laura's voice go into an aria mode on the lyrics that left a lasting effect of creepiness in the bones. *shivers* Believe it or not, blogspot readers, according to the band, that was the intended goal for the song. SouthSide highly suggests checking out the video for Ghost on their YouTube page as well as listen to Empire and title track, Guns, Sex and Glory. This reviewer asked Rococode the meaning behind the debut album title to which Andy replied "...those are the things that drives the world in a negative way..." sort of a tongue-n-cheek kinda thing of being retrospective. Then Laura added "...it's nice to put a contrast out there for the listeners..." since some people thought the album was hip hop or something you would seen done by 50 Cent or Jay-Z.

 

Ideally, Rococode was going for the Radiohead standard since according to Andy "...that's the bar.." set for the band but they also look to St. Vincent as an inspiration too, blogspot readers. They like bands who are making what Laura dubbed as "ballsy" pop music - it's not your average or ordinary type of sound but the type that's taking a risk and creating something new and different. You definitely can hear that with Rococode. For example, during one particular song, the band took a basic 80s pop sound flipping it to add more of an electric powerpop vibration and keyboard rhythms while in the in next the ears were give a harsh dose of fast-paced electric reality which gave off a dynamic rush of a thrill ride. That's what many fans can expect when Rococode wraps up their tour before heading back to Canada. The band disclosed to SouthSide they have new songs recorded that are going to be free for all and should have a new record out sometime next year as well as writing more new stuff. This reviewer did ask Andy and Laura what the music scene is like and they said it's "...a flourishing scene..." though being "...a small community across the country..." They do have a Canadian version of SXSW called Canadian Music Week in Toronto.

Before ending the interview, Andy and Laura told SouthSide that they were having a good time while on tour "...everyone's been really nice..." also adding that "...gas [here] is cheaper ...everything is cheaper here..." It takes about 90 Canadian dollars compared to 50 US dollars to fill up their van, blogspot readers. Though they didn't have time to see the (Cloud) Bean or ride on Lake Shore Drive, Rococode did get a chance to see Mount Rushmore. Hopefully, they do return when the weather is a bit warmer or during the summetime when Chicago is alive with neighborhood/street festivals.

For more information, visit http://www.rococode.com.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide