The Rocket Summer – Life Will Write The Words
Record Label: Aviate Records
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Following the breakthrough success of Do You Feel, Bryce Avary followed similar format with Of Men & Angels in 2010. With a bigger budget, production, and promotions, the record allowed Avary to expand his sound, fine-tuning his vocal range and sound. However, with Life Will Write The Words, Avary completely returns to his original DIY roots, recording the entire record himself on his own label Aviate Records.
If Of Men & Angels is a record of finding faith, then Life Will Write This Words is one of valuing experiences of life and learning by doing. Thematically, this record does not delve as spiritually as its predecessor. Rather, Avary writes of his view on the current state of the world – themes of modern life, hard work, and losing youth all weave into the words.
Both vocally and musically, the DIY effort allows Avary to show off his abilities more so than any other Rocket Summer release. His jittery piano playing gives motion to “200000,” a track where Avary experiments with syncopated rhythms. Both “Prove It” and “Circa 46” also convey the growth of his prowess behind the keys. The prevalence of the piano this time around adds another layer to The Rocket Summer, easily resulting in Avary’s biggest accomplishment to date with this record. His vocal power is more apparent than ever on the uplifting “Underrated” and rocking opener “Run and Don’t Stop,” a song that is simply sounds colossal and should fill arenas.
Lyrically, Avary is as direct and sincere as ever. On “Old Love,” he addresses the current state of love in the world as passionless and insincere, singing “I want to love like my grandfather loved his wife, but I got some problems with the way I tick / We are addicted to the world and we want more of it / My generation heard of old love and commitment, but did it stick?” As socially conscious as ever, Avary isn’t holding any thoughts back this time around, wasting no time singing of his beliefs in genuine passion, commitment, and love.
Combining the huge sound of Of Men & Angels with the youthful honesty of Hello, Good Friend and Do You Feel, Avary has created his best record yet with Life Will Write These Words. Recording the entire record himself, it’s clear that the man behind The Rocket Summer has all the talent in the world – and this is the record that sets that in stone.
I agree with a lot of what you have to say about this album, but this is Rolling Stone reviewing, more blurb than review. You go into so little depth. You cite one lyric from the whole record.
Like I said in the stream thread as well, it's consistent from start to finish. Some of my favorites from the album are "Rescuing Type" and "Ashes Made of Spades".
I agree with a lot of what you have to say about this album, but this is Rolling Stone reviewing, more blurb than review. You go into so little depth. You cite one lyric from the whole record.
Understandable. Thanks for the criticism/input Chris - I'll keep that in mind for future reviews.
Also, not to be a dick, but just a fact-check: Bryce recorded almost every note of Of Men and Angels himself, not with a full band.
Ah crap totally knew that - I even reviewed that one ha. I just got it confused since he took the full band on Warped that year and I know that guitar player.
Understandable. Thanks for the criticism/input Chris - I'll keep that in mind for future reviews.
Ah crap totally knew that - I even reviewed that one ha. I just got it confused since he took the full band on Warped that year and I know that guitar player.
Haha. It's easy to forget it was just him, because the arrangements are so full-bodied and well-realized it just feels like a whole band.
And yeah, not trying to be a dick. I just think you can review with a lot more depth than this particular one. You know I like you, dude.
I liked Do You Feel. It was a good album that came together very well, and it had a lot of good songs. But that was also its problem: it was just that, good.
Still, that RIYL made me raise an eyebrow. Color me interested.
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