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OFFICER ROSELAND - BLAST-OFF FOR KICKSVILLE
Crankypance / Chevy Chase / Juggler's Despair / Wrist Bizness / Thanks For Calling / Tandem Bicycle / Just Another Don Quixote / Mustache Party / Farmer Brown (No. 2) / Cookie Puss
CODE 3 RECORDS
Continuing their ongoing quest to bridge the gaps between Primus, Faith No More and Frank Zappa, Officer Roseland are a Philadelphia four piece walking a fine line between comedic inflection and genuine musical integrity, thankfully a line they walk with style.
With their third album, BLAST-OFF FOR KICKSVILLE, the band build on the success of its predecessor 2004's SUNGLASSES with another quality collection of songs that take their cues from everything from rock to rap to jazz to prog to pure pop, a suitably eclectic and electric affair that sees Officer Roseland maintaining their position as a band rich in ideas, running wild with invention and eccentricity.
Opener CRANKYPANCE sets the tone expertly with Officer Roseland delivering an impressively slick pop rock song, Dan Daidone dishing out infectious melodies whilst guitars riffs swell and catchy basslines crackle beneath the surface. The flamenco flecked CHEVY CHASE is another upbeat pop tune, all catchy melodies and quirky musical shifts, whilst the bass driven JUGGLER'S DESPAIR features clipped guitar chords and more big choruses.
The more relaxed sounding WRIST BIZNESS rides along on a certain Caribbean inspired laid back groove, Daidone crooning smoothly on the verses before erupting into the rocking chorus lines. TANDEM BICYCLE takes certain cues from the new wave likes of The Pretenders and The Police, shimmering pristine guitar riffs, stop/start drum patterns and delicate piano chords flavouring proceedings. With JUST ANOTHER DON QUIXOTE, Officer Roseland deliver a tender acoustic ballad over militaristic drum beats and underwater sound effects, whilst on the frenetic MUSTACHE PARTY they marry The Minutemen to Devo by way of the Muppet Show. Closing number COOKIE PUSS takes its cues from swing jazz, a smooth sounding climax to an album well versed in diversity, ideas and invention.
Taking in influences from music as diverse as Primus, Frank Zappa, Faith No More, Rush and Butthole Surfers this is a band that can go from acid rock to polka to acoustic balladry in the blink of an eye, and sometimes within the space of a single song. BLAST-OFF FOR KICKSVILLE is a collection of great songs that are never anything less than interesting. For anyone with an open mind and love of the unexpected, Officer Roseland are a band to cherish.
BIOGRAPHY
Officer Roseland has been a rock band for 5 years. However, it has taken them that long to find a "stable" (I use this term loosely) lineup which they've had for the past 14 months. 2 of the 3 original members remain with the band: Dan Daidone and Brian Jones.
O.R. started out as a 3 piece with Daidone on vocals and bass, Jones playing keyboards and guitars and Matt Pone on drums. While recording their 1st record, they felt that in order to put on a great, energetic, live performance, they would need Dan to focus exclusively on vocals and therefore needed a bass player. The search was on...
After various tryouts, they finally found a bass player and they were ready to start booking gigs. Unfortunately, before the first show was even booked, their drummer left for personal reasons. Though saddened, they would not be deterred. They now needed a drummer. The search was on...
Luckily, for Officer Roseland, the very first drummer to try out was all they needed to see. John Illisco Jr. joined the band soon after and they were ready to book some gigs. The first gig for Officer Roseland was a live in-studio performance on Philadelphia's 94.1 WYSP soon after they were selected as the rock station's "Local Rock Stars of the Month" for April of 2003.
After just one more live show, the band got news that their bass player would be leaving. Once again, Officer Roseland needed a bass player. The search was on...
Over the next 2 and a half years Officer Roseland would tryout 37 different bass players, none of which played with the band longer than 2 months time. Some of the reasons said bass players left or were asked to leave are as follows:
Ineptitude
Narcolepsy
Igoritis/Geppettoism
Stupidity
Forgetfulness
Technological hindrance
Payment or lack thereof
Hyper-excitability
Chemical dependency
Baseball practice
In July 2005, Harry McCafferty joined Officer Roseland to play bass and guitar. Their first show together happened to be while on a U.K tour in August of that year.
Finally, with a "stable" lineup intact, Officer Roseland wrote and recorded their 3rd record, BLAST-OFF FOR KICKSVILLE, which was released on January 2, 2007 on Code 3 records.
Hailing from the outskirts of Philadelphia, Officer Roseland has been protecting and serving rock music since 2000. Comprised of Dan Daidone (bass/vocals), Brian Jones (keyboards/guitar) and John Ilisco Jr (drums/percussion), this fearlessly experimental trio is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of rock into bold new directions, drawing their influence from such eclectic sources of inspiration as Mr. Bungle, Talking Heads, Rush, Frank Zappa, Ween, NoMeansNo, and the Beatles. Fusing everything from funk, punk, new-wave, hardcore, jazz, soul and country with their own uniquely twisted sense of humor, Officer Roseland has developed an aggressive and original sound desperately needed in an increasingly generic musical landscape.
Philadelpia's top rock station, 94.1 WYSP, named Officer Roseland the "Local Rockstars Of The Month" for April 2003, and the band was invited into the studio to perform live on Tommy Conwell's acclaimed "Loud & Local" program. A pair of songs from Officer Roseland's self-titled debut, Fiero and Apple Zip Zaps, were featured prominently in award-winning animator Billy Blob's short film Bumble Being at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. This film will be showcased on the debut episode of Comedy Central's upcoming series Jump Cuts in November 2004. Currently Officer Roseland can be heard in frequent rotation on XM satellite radio's Unsigned Bands station.
Rock and roll is in a state of emergency. In order to survive it must evolve. Officer Roseland is a band on a mission - to rescue rock from the evil clutches of corporate hijackers and the assembly line of souless mass production. The airwaves have the right to remain silent no longer. Help is on the way.
You cannot stop Officer Roseland.
LINE UP
Dan Daidone>bass/vocals
Brian Jones>keyboards/guitar
Harry McCafferty>bass/guitar
John Ilisco Jr>drums/percussion
DISCOGRAPHY
SUNGLASSES (2004)
August Appt.
Condiments
Take It From Me
The Circus
Surface Failure
Body On Tap
Need To Know Basis
Arizona Bay
BLAST-OFF FOR KICKSVILLE (Code 3 Records>2007)
Crankypance
Chevy Chase
Juggler's Despair
Wrist Bizness
Thanks For Calling
Tandem Bicycle
Just Another Don Quixote
Mustache Party
Farmer Brown (No. 2)
Cookie Puss
LINKS
Officer Roseland>www.officerroseland.com
Review date: February 2007 |
