Rocket Science - Different Like You (Album)
» Rocket Science announce new album and national tour - June 19, 2008
» Rocket Science - Hopetoun Hotel, NSW - September 4, 2008
» Rocket Science - East Brunswick Club Hotel, Vic - May 10, 2008
It is written that at the turn of the millennium the garage gods of Oz Rock brought forth from the mythical mists of melody a squealing, screeching fiend of a band that announced its arrival with a cathartic, primal scream they called “Welcome Aboard the 3C10”. The four-headed behemoth wielded the standard rock arsenal, but the secret to their potency and immortallity was their secret weapons - the demonic organ and spazzed-out Theremin which they unleashed on the unsuspecting ears with a frightening ferocity.
… hang on a minute… there’s no way I can’t keep that up for a full review.
What I’m trying to get at is that Rocket Science rock. They’ve always rocked. Unfortunately, they’ve been quiet for a little while now – after the momentum of their (somewhat disappointing) third album Eternal Holiday was stalled when, frontman, Roman Tucker suffered an accident involving stairs and gravity that left him in a medically-induced coma. Thankfully the master of the screeching keys made a full recovery to belatedly tour in support of Eternal Holiday and now, following some more minor setbacks (including several broken bones and a change of labels), their forth album, Different Like You, is here.
Overall Different Like You displays the full gamut of Rocket Science’s influences (70’s garage and punk, 60’s psychedelic and 80’s new wave). Like Eternal Holiday before it, Different Like You is more restrained than the unhinged glory of Welcome Aboard The 3C10, but not as restrained, or tense and complex as Contact High – aiming more at the middle ground.
Unfortunately, Different Like You is also not as consistent as its predecessors – it’s highlights are tempered by some tracks that are more filler than killer. Leading the pack is Different Like Everybody Else and Love Love Love, which jump from your speakers like bursts of joy - full of big riffs, slashes of keys, melodic hooks and sing-along choruses. Meanwhile, the growling Jukebox Junkie and the slinky, countrified bass line of Sinful Cowboy also pack a punch. Unfortunately, tracks like Clones, Talking To Machines and Alive fall a little flat - lacking some sparkle. Despite some missteps, though, there’s still an party to be had here. As usual, Roman throws everything into his vocals slurring, yelping and screaming his way through the set. He’s got an enormous energy, but just occasionally on Different Like You it feels like he strays across the line and comes off sounding a bit cartoon-ish and goofy – like in the opening yelps to Love Love Love. When he’s at his best, though, (on tracks like Different LikeEverybody Else and Jukebox Junkie he’s completely magnetic.
Even though some of the danger and intensity of past Rocket Science outings is missing from Different Like You, all in all it’s brilliant to have them back - kicking out the jams and rockin’ hard.
