Reviews: Hurricane Blues
Rowdy House is a collective group that has taken it up itself to create meaningful, thought-provoking music. Their latest single, “Hurricane Blues,” certainly isn’t an exception. Presenting a fresh single in traditional blues style – 12 bar blues format in the key of G – Rowdy House cultivates a masterful experience, in which the band conveys the tragic beauty of hurricanes and captures the experiences of hurricane survivors. The anonymous source of music again produces a solid, dignified track that seems to take on a different role amidst any negativity in the music industry.
Rowdy House immediately portrays the hurricane atmosphere with the introductory moan, whaling harmonica, and echoing of the Dobro; all of which are traditional blues instruments. Perhaps what conveys the sorrow and the struggles hurricane presents best is the vocals: a beautiful mixture of empathy for survivors and desperate need to convey to listeners just how traumatic the impact can be. The music remains emotionally-driven, strongest at its instrumental breakdowns. What allows the audience to emotionally reflect amidst the strong connectivity and solitary is when Rowdy House is at its best. The soothing whaling of the harmonica solo and orchestral elements give a sense of gloom surrounding victims, allowing listeners to hear and see from their perspective, as if they are too preparing for the winds to crash upon their homes and fall victim to the storm.
From a lyrical standpoint, Rowdy House expertly vocalizes and illustrates the fury of a hurricane. The lyrical journey transitions from the preparation stages of the hurricane, “Wake up mama, I think it’s time to go. Water’s rising, ‘ wind’s blowing down your door.” to the actuality of the storm striking the narrator, “No telephone, no food, no ice, no gas. That’s the reason why they’re leaving town so fast.” The perspective not only distinguishes listeners to feel for the narrator, but to also understand previous victims’ perspectives. “Hurricane Blues” is a realistic song that many will be able to connect with on a personal level. This song is about real-life and from the lyrics to the beautiful instrumentation, Rowdy House masterfully conveys all aspects of hurricanes and those who are forced to come to terms with the effects of such a powerful, tragic occurrence.
Rowdy House intends to stop the poor political responses to Hurricane Season, as we’ve seen in the past, and “Hurricane Blues” is an impeccable step in the right direction.
Artist Name: Rowdy House
Song Name: Hurricane Blues
Review By: Alexa Spieler
Rating: 5 stars out of (5)
Rowdy House is a band known for their songs that touch on social and political issues. “Hurricane Blues” is probably the only song that deviates from their norm. The song really focuses on the effects of the storms by the people that are left behind in their wake.
As the title suggests it’s a blues number, complete with the sad sounds of the harmonica, and as always the lyrics to the song are spot on. If any band could convey the feelings of a group of people after a storm, it would be Rowdy House.
“The lines are long – and you can’t get what you need.”
Those lyrics definitely echo the feelings of many on the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.
“Hurricane Blues” is also one of the only Rowdy House songs that isn’t upbeat. Anyone familiar with the band’s music knows that while the songs may be about hard hitting topics, they are fun to sing along to. The subject matter and the genre of “Hurricane Blues” puts this song in a different category. This is one song that you simply must listen to, rather than sing along with.
What does stay the same with “Hurricane Blues” is the superb musicianship and stellar vocals. It is easy to visualize the band sitting on a porch playing the song as they survey the damage. Also in true Rowdy House fashion, the band delivers a message that reminds us that these storms are devastating, most of the time long after the media stops covering them.
The song is smooth and moody, just as a good blues song should be, but there should be no doubts when it comes to songs by Rowdy House. They only deliver quality music. So sit back, listen and become more informed.
Artist: Rowdy House
Single: “Hurricane Blues”
Writer: Andrea Guy
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
“Hurricane Blues” begins with a low levee moan, a squalling harmonica, the lonesome call of a dobro. The scene is set for the rumbling winds to come. Slowly but surely, every modern convenience is peeled away – and then things that matter far more. People are left without television, without phones, then without food.
Waiting for help, all that’s left is a mood of stoic despair.
Rowdy House’s rootsy, 12-bar blues sound perfectly in keeping with the disjointed aftermath of a coastal storm, with the defeated and forgotten finally left to simply “sit in the dark, singing these hurricane blues.”
Of course, this being Rowdy House – a group of anonymous, non-partisan professional musicians working to highlight government waste and corruption – there is a larger message among the misery. Their web site, at rowdyhousemusic.com, details a series of mishandlings of these situations, from politicians scamming storm money for their own ill-gotten gain to the various and well-documented bumblings of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
That information, whether new to listeners or a powerful reminder of this legacy of incompetence and greed, serves to provide a deeper relevance to “Hurricane Blues,” giving it a purpose beyond the lyric’s frank and sobering imagery.
However, even those who choose not to delve into the track’s backstory will be moved by its orchestral sweep, and its emotionally direct approach. This is, alas, a blues for the modern age.
Artist: Rowdy House
Single: “Hurricane Blues”
Reviewer: Nick DeRiso
Rating: 4
Rowdy House is back at it again with in-your-face lyrics about social and political screw-ups in the United States. “Hurricane Blues” is a song that is built around the aftermath of a destructive hurricane with a depressing, bluesy and Americana-tinged musical setup. The sauntering tune is slow, but relatively engaging with deep guitar stylings, deep vocals, and mixed percussion with varied instrumentation overall.
“Hurricane Blues” begins with an amalgamation of squawky percussion, harmonica, bluesy guitar, and tambourine. The ruddy, bluesy, and earthy male vocals echo the spirit of Southern folk music. The vocals are accompanied by reverberating harmonica, a few clangs of percussion, and deep, guitar stylings with punchy tambourine and train-horn like noises. The string drones resemble a nyckelharpa. The music is relatively slow with a typical bluesy style indicative of Southern folk music. There are punctuations of harmonica, drones, clangs, and string sounds permeated with acoustic and slide-like guitar sounds. For the most part, drums are absent.
Rowdy House’s “Hurricane Blues” is a bluesy anthem of a natural disaster, but the result is anything but a disaster. The eerie and quirky instrumentation follows a deep Southern drawl with poignant vocals and inspirational lyrics. The description of a disaster put to song is rather intriguing and Rowdy House succeeds admirably. Anyone with an interest in Southern blues, folk, country, and alternative folk should find comfort in the vocals and instrumentation. The lacks of drums are not particularly deleterious. The odd percussive squawks, creaks, and tones are top-notch. If fans are looking for a Doomsday Preppers theme song, this one might take the prize. However, this song mainly describes the aftermath of a hurricane. Nevertheless, “Hurricane Blues” will blow you away!
Artist: Rowdy House
Song: “Hurricane Blues”
Review by Matthew Forss
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
Reviews: Energy Policy
Known for their rigorous, direct ways of calling attention to governmental issues, Rowdy House is back with their song, “Energy Policy”. Though they don’t stray away from candidly dictating thoughts concerning the government, Rowdy House decided to take a different route musically Normally leaning towards the upbeat, rock side of music – Rowdy House shakes things up, when opting to head down the reggae route with “Energy Policy”.
Leading with a straightforward song title, the lyricism continues the straightforward approach. Despite the paradoxical upbeat, reggae musicality, “Energy Policy” highlights and criticizes the current US energy policy. The vocals may take you straight to Jamaica, but the harsh criticism certainly doesn’t continue the good vibrations. Conveying their hard-hitting honesty, Rowdy House bitterly remarks: “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, to grasp a reality that’s been lost. We need to fill our tanks about once a week, and we can’t afford the cost.” With lyricism, no boundaries are known to Rowdy House. The band has a distinguishable way of straightforwardly acknowledging the truth and expressing their emotions concerning the government, rather than ignoring the issues and sugar coating the problems at hand. With the price of gas skyrocketing the past year, someone needs to take a stand, and Rowdy House stands to be that voice for the struggling Americans.
Musically, the song is quite enjoyable. The laid-back nature shifts you to a mindset, as though you’re laying down on the beach with the Caribbean within reach. Welcoming vocals invite the listener to engaging in listening, while a groovy guitarist and slick drummer entice listeners. It isn’t difficult to nod your head along to “Energy Policy,” considering the R&B and reggae elements distinguished. The drummer expertly utilizes a cross-stick technique, combined with a light tapping of the hi-hat, continuing to keep the composition grooving. The keyboardist’s line, though simply short, creates a bubbly feel, fueling the need to nod your head along — as if the drummer hadn’t done so successfully already. Accompanied by the twangy, R&B influenced guitarist, “Energy Policy” remains a bubbly, uptempo number hiding behind the blatantly raw lyricism.
The distinctive harmonies, welcoming vocals, and expert instrumentation may lead one to believe this is another enjoyable song, lacking in significance. Though entirely true — that “Energy Policy” is an enjoyable composition — the emphasis resides in the fact that this is a composition that holds significance. Certainly fun and enjoyable, “Energy Policy” seeks to let you know the truth, and nothing other than that.
Review By: Alexa Spieler
Artist Name: Rowdy House
Song Name: “Energy Policy”
Rating: 4.5 Stars (out of 5)
Rowdy House are a band known for sharing their views on government waste and corruption. So far they’ve tackled pink slime and lying politicians. Next up on their attack list is “Energy Policy.”
The title is pretty straightforward, and the song deals with rising gas prices and the Energy Secretary’s poor performance. The Rowdy House bunch has left the classic rock style behind for this song, opting to go reggae this time.
This style is perfect for this song. The opening line “Pump three dollar, four dollar, five dollar more,” sums up the pain we all feel at the pump. The vocals will take you straight to the Caribbean.
The melody is laid-back but the message is hard-hitting. Rowdy House speaks for just about every member of the middle and lower classes with this song. ”We need to fill our tanks about once a week, but we can’t afford the cost.” These words are spot on. The song gives you its message but they soften the blow with humor—and with the price of gas the way it is, everyone needs a little more humor.
Rowdy House is a band that isn’t afraid to say what’s on their minds with each song. Like the other music in their repertoire, “Energy Policy” makes you think about the issue they present, and the song does it in a way that will be enjoyable for anyone that happens to be listening.
Once again, Rowdy House will wow you with a great song that you will want to sing along to, and it goes a step further—it makes you think about the issue at hand. It doesn’t matter what political party you support, Rowdy House wants you to know the facts. (And if you have an enjoyable four minutes, that’s even better.)
Artist: Rowdy House
Single: “Energy Policy”
Review by Andrea Guy
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Reviews: Don’t Let a Liar Lead You
Continuing to take the music world by storm, Rowdy House springs back into action with their boldly honest song, “Don’t Let A Liar Lead You”. Known for their ways of portraying the government in a negative manner, hoping to expose the lies people are sometimes blinded by, Rowdy House ensures their personal political views with an active, enthusiastic rock anthem. Composed of various nonpartisan professional musicians, Rowdy House works anonymously to raise national awareness of the corruption, excessive regulation, and waste within the government. “Don’t Let A Liar Lead You” doesn’t stray from these ideals Rowdy House has prided itself on.
Rather than exposing the nature of the government in a gloomy, slow composition, “Don’t Let A Liar Lead You” keeps listeners entertained with its twangy guitar riffs, upbeat drumming, and overall enthusiastic nature. Toss your political views aside because “Don’t Let A Liar Lead You” is an active composition with vivid imagery and hooks that’ll keep you wanting more. Opening with a driving bass lead accompanied by a grooving percussionist, the jovial nature of the hard-hitting track immediately starts. The accompaniment of various vocalists soon chime in — strategic and passionate. Sometimes recordings make it difficult to capture a sense of passion from the vocalists, but this song portrays anything but that. The insistence to convey to the human race that a leader cannot be a liar and not to follower a leader who lies is evident, and the vocalists don’t disguise their beliefs and the honesty they demand. I t’s fearless, it’s direct — no sugar coating is visible. “Don’t Let A Liar Lead You” shines light on the honesty and passion lacking in most musicians, currently.
The lyricism ultimately formulates the rock anthem, never straying from conveying absolute honesty. The song is full of passion. You can feel and understand the necessity of not being beguiled by the government through the lyrics, “He’ll lie to you to keep his job, so his friends can steal some more.” Of course, it’d be easy to agree with the government. It’d be easy to urge everyone to vote or to support a candidate, but Rowdy House dares to take the road less traveled: to convey the truth. It’s unexpected for such an uptempo, enthusiastic song composed of grooving, twangy electric guitars, driving bass lines, and energetic drum fills would act to portray such honesty concerning politics.
No matter what age someone may be, “Don’t Let A Liar Lead You” is an impeccable rock anthem needed during this election period.
Review By: Alexa Spieler
Artist Name: Rowdy House
Song Name: “Don’t Let A Liar Lead You”
Rating: 4.5 Stars (out of 5)
Artist: Rowdy House
Song: “Don’t Let A Liar Lead You”
Review by Matthew Forss
Rowdy House is a group spreading various social and political truths using music to instill change and expose governmental waster, corruption, and intrusion. In this case, “Don’t Let A Liar Lead You” is a political anthem exposing a corrupt system of governmental control and lying leaders. Rowdy House puts together rippling guitars, moody bass, and classic rock vocals to get the message across.
“Don’t Let A Liar Lead You” opens with a little drum tapping, drum percussion, and a classic rock beat that is inherently pop. However, the grungy, rock beat contains a little Southern music charm with back-up vocals and in-your-face lyrics about following lying leaders…wherever they may be. The gospel or bluesy guitar, drum, and bass sounds accompany the soulful vocals throughout. The glistening tonal qualities are interspersed between the guitar chords and swishy percussion. The title of the song is repeated for the last few chords, but the end is rather abrupt without an extensive outro.
Rowdy House’s latest single, “Don’t Let A Liar Lead You,” is an upbeat, political-themed, slice of heaven for fans of comedic, intellectual, and progressive rock. The groovy tune is akin to the works of the classic, American groups, Three Dog Night and Creedence Clearwater Revival. With a throwback to classical pop/rock, Rowdy House knows how to entertain the masses with the truth—more specifically, political truth. The moving instrumentation contains a bluesy, gospel ambiance that reflects the Americana-rich melodies and messages. There are only male vocals as lead and back-up vocals. The lack of varied instrumentation is not particularly troublesome here. Instead, the music is a perfect fit for the throaty vocals and powerful messages. The song length is quite long and the music is a perfect match for the driving vocals. Nothing is amiss here.
Review by Matthew Forss
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
Artist: Rowdy House
Album: Don’t Let a Liar Lead You
Reviewer: Nick DeRiso
Rowdy House, a group of anonymous non-partisan roots rockers, returns with another cautionary tale – this time, for those who think elections don’t matter. Despite all of the political theater associated with these annual exercises, Rowdy House reminds us that there is more at stake than late-night talk show gags.
“Don’t Let a Liar Lead You” opens with a ruminative riff and a gurgling bass signature, before an Eagles-inspired country-rocking vocal begins to build the argument for becoming involved in the process – especially “when there’s lies and corruption, and the economy’s not right.” Soon, Rowdy House has caught a muscular groove, and the looming dangers of apathy toward miscreant politicos becomes clear: “He’ll lie to you to keep his job, so his friends can steal some more. … The ruling class will pass a law to steal your freedom – and sell your rights.”
The track is very much in keeping with earlier awareness-raising efforts by the same group, including “I Won’t Comply,” which focused on defending the Constitution; and “Family Farm,” an angry lament over the way multi-national agricultural firms have changed that industry.
“Don’t Let a Lair Lead You,” members of Rowdy House are quick to point out, is not directed at a specific standing government representative so much as any politician who skirts the truth. Inspired by author Andy Andrews, whose book “How Do You Kill Eleven Million People?” serves as a fiery demand for government accountability, the song represents the best of what protest music has always offered: A universal non-partisan message to get our act together.
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
Review by Nick DeRiso
Artist: Rowdy House
Single: Don’t Let a Liar Lead You
Review by: Andrea Guy
Rowdy House has possibly recorded the best song for any election year with “Don’t Let a Liar Lead You.” This is the type of song that makes you think while you bob your head. It is a rock anthem that takes you back to 70s and 80s.
In traditional Rowdy House fashion, “Don’t Let a Liar Lead You” captures your attention with catchy lyrics that you’ll be singing along to in no time. It is so catchy that you might miss the political message of the song, but to those paying attention, it is a call to make smart choices when choosing elected officials.
This song should probably be America’s theme song this year. It also doesn’t speak in flattering terms of politicians as a whole. The third verse says it all: “You know the politician’s a monster, when he preys on the hopes of the poor. He’ll lie to you to keep his job. So his friends can steal some more. He will seduce the unfortunate, so he can get their vote. He masquerades as social justice, you won’t like where you go! ”
Rowdy House is one of the few bands that is 100% socially and politically conscious. Their songs are never fluffy, but they are always fun and help to promote awareness. Whether they are talking about “pink slime” or politicians, their message is there for all to hear.
“Don’t Let a Liar Lead You” was inspired by Andy Andrews book How Do You Kill 11 Million People – Why the Truth Matters More Than You Think. It doesn’t bash any party, but instead calls us to demand honesty and integrity from our elected officials.
This is a song that every man and woman of voting age should listen to before they go to the polls!
Rating 5 (out of 5)
Reviews: Pink Slime Burgers & Gov Cheese
Artist: Rowdy House
Song: “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov Cheese”
Review by Matthew Forss
The outlaw country style of Rowdy House tackles the issue of the controversial pink slime being added to US-beef supplies, which is actually LFTB (lean finely textured beef). The additive is a beef filler that cuts down the fat percentage. However, Rowdy House’s words are quite meaty on the subject and demand a listen. Rowdy House brings a sauntering 50s or 60s style tune to the mix with swaying melodies, country swagger, and female back-up vocals.
“Pink Slime Burgers & Gov Cheese” opens with a few rippling guitar strums, slow percussion, a little steel guitar whine, and female back-up oohs. The lead male vocal is not particularly country-style, but it is a mix of Western and alternative-folk. A few female vocals respond to the lead male vocals throughout. During the chorus, the female vocals add emphatic remarks and 50s or 60s style backup singing with oohs and ahhs. The whiny steel guitar penetrates a few of the lines and the percussion set is top-notch. The end of the song reaches a melodic pinnacle with female backup vocals taking the lead, as the guitars fade out to a higher register than before. The symbolism in the final stanza reflects the thought-provoking nature of the song’s content.
The throwback to nostalgic American tunes from the 50s and 60s mixed with a comedic message that is meant to provide a thought-provoking reflection is something that is definitely worth checking out. The anti-governmental intrusion message is important from a lyrical perspective. The spoken and sung vocals are informative and appropriate. The musical arrangements are strong throughout. Most of all, the music is catchy and worth a listen for fans of anti-government intrusion, comedy, and Western-styled folk music with a dose of nostalgic pop. Warning: This music contains no fillers.
Review by Matthew Forss
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
Review by Andrea Guy
Anyone that watches the news has heard about the pink slime scandal. Pink Slime is known in the meat industry as lean finely textured beef. Not very appealing, right?
Rowdy House are known for their music about the government’s corruption, waste and regulation. The pink slime issue was up Rowdy House’s alley. They have a lot to say about this additive that was approved for human consumption in 2004 and they do it in a little retro sounding country ditty called “Pink Slime Burgers and Gov Cheese.”
“Pink Slime Burgers & Gov Cheese” is a fun and funny tune that brings the issue to the ears of anyone that will listen. Rowdy House delivers the song in retro style, taking listeners back to the early sixties when J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers and the Shangri-las were scoring hits, complete with the signature female backing vocals full of “oohs and aahs.”
The nostalgic way the song is presented may keep some from noticing the hard hitting message that it delivers, but after a few listens the message will come through loud and clear.
The lyrics of the third verse bring their message out with a bang, “When a small elite cartel grows our entire food supply, we’ll be government dependents and we won’t know why. It’s a sneaky form of government that’s getting worse and worse. It’s the pink slime burger and government cheese curse.”
All of this is sung in such a light hearted manner with answering backing vocals by the girls that it almost sounds like the song is geared at kids. This gives the song real universal appeal. But it is more than just a thought provoking fun song that anyone will enjoy, it has great musicianship. The steady beat of the drum and the steel guitar are proof that there’s more to Rowdy House than just a political message and a catchy melody.
Review by Andrea Guy
Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)
Imagine a group of non-partisan musicians writing and recording songs about government waste and corruption. Imagine a nanny state where government not only decides what you should or shouldn’t eat, but also designs those rules around the business interests of their friends and benefactors. Doesn’t take much imagination, does it? That’s the basis for Rowdy House, an anonymous collective of musicians currently on the enemies list of the RNC, DNC, The Bilderberg Group, The Skulls, and almost anyone else with serious political aspirations at the national level. Rowdy House’s latest foray into sociopolitical commentary comes in the form of “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov Cheese”, which highlights the dangers to our food supply caused by Government/Big Business regulations with humor and a smooth musical touch.
The whole brouhaha about the use of Pink Slime in ground beef earlier this year is the inspiration for this cute little number, and Rowdy House will make you laugh while they turn your stomach. The message here is consistent with Rowdy House’s other material: a government that has become too interested in our day to day activities because the people who buy them their seats of power want it that way. The semi –call and response style to the song is amusing, but the message is a bit disturbing. Rowdy House gets inside your head with insightful, funny and oft times disturbing social commentary in general, and “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov Cheese” will make you read your food labels a bit more closely the next time you’re in the supermarket. It’s great music that makes you think.
Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)
Review by Wildy Haskell
Artist: Rowdy House
Title: “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov Cheese”
Review by Kelly O’Neil
Like the rock legends of yore from Buffalo Springfield to CSNY who brought political messages to the fore with pop music, Rowdy House continues this clever ruse but instead of composing a modern piece, they harken back to a more “innocent” era. The single “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov Cheese” is dripping with infectious hooks that one cannot help but catch. While the jumpy melodies on the Grease soundtrack are relatively harmless, Rowdy House is definitely and overtly relaying a heavier message in the theme to this tune.
In this election year, Rowdy House is shedding light on government agencies and big brother businesses shutting out America’s hardworking farmers and gibing the public on inadequate nutrition. While the male lead vocalist delivers four verses of dark, humorous protest, the female back up singers interject with little jeers and snippets ala the Shangri-Las. While Rowdy House is no Rocky Horror Picture Show, many of the subjects portrayed in “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov Cheese” are scary.
Most everyone would agree that the color alone of federally issued cheese is not natural, neither is genetically modified wheat that Rowdy House alludes to and the public may not be aware of. To emphasis how displeased the group is with this practice the vocalists in unison sing, “They make us all dumb and easy to lead.” The second verse about the unusual texture of pink slime is grossly amusing but the fourth verse is great. It is generally known that our government has spent egregious amounts of money on some trivial things. One of the biggest campaigns of the last administration has been on obesity. Rowdy House decries how taxes dollars go to provide this government sanctioned food that is lacking in anything nutritious. The ignorant American’s new happy meal is a pink slime burger with no lettuce or tomato, greasy potatoes, imitation condiments and laboratory engineered buns all topped with whipped cream.
The message is intriguingly thought provoking and instead of taking a moment to pause and digest the song, Rowdy House has cleverly written its music so that it gets stuck in your head. The chorus of “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov Cheese” will no doubt replay over and over thus giving the listener ample time to rehash the precarious situation of the country’s food supply – a song and sediment that is not easily forgotten.
Review by Kelly O’Neil
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
Artist Name: Rowdy House
Single Name: “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov. Cheese”
Review By: Alexa Spieler
It’s often times rare to come across a band whose music reflects the change they’d like to see in the world. The anonymous artists who make up Rowdy House tend to differ from society’s accepted behavior and music consisting of themes reflecting alcohol drinking and partying tendencies. Professional musicians work anonymously together in Rowdy House, seeking only to raise awareness concerning government waste, corruption, and excessive regulation. Their single, “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov. Cheese” certainly doesn’t shy away from such teachings. Despite such a hard-hitting topic, Rowdy House still seems to not struggle with providing a light-hearted, fun track such as “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov. Cheese”.
Always known for their way of presenting hard-hitting topics concerning the government, Rowdy House conveys such a message in similar fashion within “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov. Cheese.” The light-hearted, bubbly nature of the song contrasts pleasantly with the importance found within the lyrics. While the song presents itself a retro, country manner, the lyricism Rowdy House manages to captivate listeners with an invaluable lesson and inexplicable humor. The thought-provoking lyricism helps Rowdy House inspire their audience into noticing the corruption they view within the government: “It’s a sneaky form of government that’s getting worse and worse. It’s the pink slime burger and the government cheese curse.”
Strongly country influenced, yet reminiscent of the 40s and 50s ballads, “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov. Cheese” contains thought-provoking lyrics, a memorable melody, and leaves an impression embedded in your psyche. Taking a dive into a grave topic, Rowdy House pushes the envelope all while conveying a catchy tune. The simple accompaniment of a strong rhythm section led by the drummer and comical backing vocals channeling the lead vocalist, “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov. Cheese” is ultimately a song you’ll deem unforgettable. Smooth with humor and thoughtfulness, “Pink Slime Burgers & Gov. Cheese” is exactly the combination of the musicality and personality needed in the music industry and the entirety of society.
Review by Alexa Spieler
Rating: 4.5 Stars (out of 5)
Reviews: Family Farm
Artist: Rowdy House
Song: “Family Farm”
Review by Matthew Forss
The nostalgic bluegrass and country music of America’s Appalachian and Southern regions are explored on the outlaw country release of “Family Farm.” The music of Rowdy House is steeped in raw folk melodies with honky-tonk musical styles and vocals proclaiming the end to overreaching government restrictions in the family farm business.
“Family Farm” opens with the spritely, honky-tonk sounds of steel guitar, light percussion, and earthy fiddle sounds. The male vocals kick in with a bit of Southern folk and female vocals that accompany the instrumentation. The hoe-down type melody is rich with twangy, steel guitar sounds and a banjo for pure pickin’ pleasure. The strong, anti-governmental message against overregulation of family farms is the prime motivation for the song. The vocals are featured throughout the song, except for the introduction and another point mid-song, which highlight the fiery fiddle, guitars, and light percussion. The end of the song ends with a final, gentle twang of the steel guitar and no additional instrumentation. The outro is not extended or lavishly accompanied with additional vocals.
“Family Farm” is a quaint, little song about saving the family farm against overregulation and ridiculous laws that negatively affect private businesses. For most songs, the message tends to be incongruent with the musical rhythm and melody. In this case, the music is catchy, engaging, and free from useless or unnecessary distractions. The combination of fiddle, steel guitar, banjo, percussion, and folk-centered vocals with a little country twang makes the song shine with fun melodies and classic rhythms. The song is around three-minutes long, which is not necessarily a deleterious attribute. Overall, Rowdy House cements their mark with a pinnacle anthem of outlaw country music that should be loved by Western, country, folk, bluegrass, and political music fans. The cows are home and they want their farms back!
Review by Matthew Forss
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
Artist: Rowdy House
Title: “Family Farm”
Review by Andrew Greenhalgh
Protest music has been in existence for centuries but perhaps, at least in the United States, no other time than the 1960’s could be dubbed the decade of protest. And is it ironic that after such powerful figures as Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger, that very consciousness and rebellion seeped into that most national of musical styles, country? Either way, the birth of outlaw country spawned a slew of hits for artists like Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash and also lent exposure and credibility to the causes they stood for which were often most notably those of the common working man.
And one of the most forgotten figures of the working man has been the American farmer. While a critical figure in not only national but world issues, the farmer has found his role being downplayed and under fire, largely by the push and pull of government forces. Yet, there are those who would stand in the gap for the American farmer. Rowdy House Music is a loose collective on non-partisan artists and musicians who have chosen to step forward and help to “elevate national awareness regarding government waste, corruption, and excessive regulation.” The single, “Family Farm,” is one of their first forays into the fight.
Musically, the song is strong, hearkening back to the best natures of western swing and country. Toe tapping percussion pushes the mid-tempo ahead colored by tasteful notes of fiddle, acoustic guitar, banjo, and steel guitar. The lead vocal is sung by a rich male baritone, his tone edged with a bit of playful country charm while a chorus of female voices push forward to provide background accompaniment throughout. Overall, it’s a warm-hearted country track that oozes warmth from the heartland.
Lyrically, it pushes back a bit harder at the perceived divide that the government is putting between family farms and consumers. These regulations have created a rift between the farmer and the consumer and seem to “plainly favor big food manufacturers over family farms that have been the bedrock of this country for two centuries.” The artists take this plight and put it into colorful phrasing, offering up such lines as “If we can’t grow our own food or eat as we please, makes us dependent on government cheese.” It’s homespun and tongue in cheek but it gets the message across.
And getting the message across is just what Rowdy House Music is about. It’s simply a solid benefit that this message comes in a nice, comfortable package, with a tale of woe and a cry for justice wrapped in soulful, homey western swing. Rowdy House gets their message across with “Family Farm.”
Review by Andrew Greenhalgh
Rating: 3.5 Stars (out of 5)
Reviews: I Won’t Comply
Artist: Rowdy House
Single: I Won’t Comply
Review by Nick DeRiso
“I Won’t Comply” starts like a down-home Texas blues, which this scorching guitar rumination – before a brawny sax propels it from closing-time soulfulness toward rebellious contempt.
And that’s where this song sets itself apart: After tearing through a list of ideas behind the country’s recent setbacks, “I Won’t Comply” refuses to wallow in any sense of what’s lost. Instead, Rowdy House makes the case for fighting for what’s right against “self-serving politicians,” “political lies,” and such. In the style of our red-white-and-blue patriot forebears, they exclaim – as one: “Say it out loud: I won’t comply!”
The rollicking protest number is another in a series from Rowdy House, which features various anonymous non-partisan professional musicians who have gathered in hopes of elevating “national awareness regarding government waste, corruption and excessive regulation.”
It’s a theme runs like a fast-moving river through “I Won’t Comply.” But there’s more than that going on here, more than making a series of complaints. Rowdy House has constructed a stirring call to action, connecting this song with that most American of things: Speaking truth to power.
Review by Nick DeRiso
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)
Sometimes what happens in Vegas gets spread all over. That appears to be the case for eclectic blues/rocker Rowdy House. While not even setting foot upon the road, Rowdy House looks to command real attention during the election cycle of 2012. Describing themselves as a non-partisan and anonymous group of musicians who want to elevate national awareness of government waste, corruption and excessive regulation, Rowdy House is decidedly conservative in their economic viewpoints (not that that’s bad). The band’s first single, “I Won’t Comply”, adheres to the tradition of early rock and rhythm blues, with vibrant vocals, sassy saxophone and some of the coolest guitar licks you’ve heard in a while.
“I Won’t Comply” is catchy, and will get your feet moving. The vocal mix (harmonies) is a bit loose, but it ends up sounding like a live performance. The song opens with some deliciously lazy guitar work that sounds like Hendrix groove on some very mellow Chuck Berry, but things pick up quickly. The meat of the song is about getting back to a time when the United States was looked to around the world as a great place to live. The villains are politicians in general, although there is a decidedly conservative/libertarian slant to the lyrics.
This is one of those songs that are just difficult to get out of your head once you’ve heard it, and the political views are non-partisan enough to offend only the most die-hard political hack. Rowdy House has a winner on their hands here.
Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)
Review by Wildy Haskell