Oberon Rose - Holographic Blues
OBERON ROSE SHIMMERS ON ‘HOLOGRAPHIC BLUES’
Nashville-based garage rock/psych-rock outfit Oberon Rose introduces their new album, entitled Holographic Blues, reflecting the band’s delicious retro-British savors arising from the songwriting of Tommy Oberon and Rebecca Rose.
Oberon Rose
Tommy composes the music, while Rebecca writes the lyrics, echoing her background in theatre. Rebecca equates her lyricism to “black-box theatre…stripped down and raw and left to your imagination. Let the listener decide what it means.”
Commenting on the music, Tommy explains, “I don’t judge music as retro or vintage. I listen to it if it’s good. The history of rock and roll is the history of blues, folk, country, and gospel. It’s all of those genres mixed together. Certain artists bring out different aspects of it, but at the end of the day, it’s all rock and roll. With Oberon Rose, we try to pay homage to that history. I love electric guitar; I love melody and I love harmony. Those are the things I try to bring to the listener.”
He goes on, adding, “I try to keep production simple. There’s some reverb, some delay, but ultimately, I want the music and the words to do the work.”
Encompassing nine-tracks, Holographic Blues starts off with “Sinner,” opening on a contagious drum shuffle flowing into bluesy, kaleidoscopic colors topped by Tommy’s tight, slightly reedy voice, while radiant vocal harmonies fill the song with depth. A dazzling guitar solo imbues the tune with incandescent textures.
Entry points include “American Avenue,” dripping with bluesy, psychedelic washes, as Tommy’s voice takes on smooth, scrumptious timbres.
Entry points include “American Avenue,” dripping with bluesy, psychedelic washes, as Tommy’s voice takes on smooth, scrumptious timbres. I love the rumbling drums on the chorus on this track topped by gleaming guitar tones, conjuring up memories of the Beatles.
“Losers of the Year” radiates flavors of Tom Petty merged with The Kinks, riding a measured, almost drifting rhythm rife with hefty energy. Gorgeous, glowing harmonies add luminous coloration. “Chinese Whisper” blends the jangle of The Byrds with the Southern twang of Tom Petty, resulting in glistening walls-of-sound, simultaneously mist-filled and glossy.
The catchy rhythmic flow of “Upside Down World,” along with washes of shimmering guitars and stellar percussion, imbue the tune with infectious, iridescent energy. A rumbling breakdown leads to bewitching layered harmonies.
“Demoniac,” the penultimate track, features a throbbing, galvanizing rhythm, tight and finessed, along with a luscious psychedelic, sinuous interlude, followed by returning to alt-rock dynamics. This track allows Tommy to parade his tasty, reedy tones, which is when he’s at his best.
Holographic Blues is wonderfully wrought, displaying iridescent guitars, tantalizing rhythmic spills, and deluxe vocals, along with dazzling harmonies.
