Reviews

Rock, Star decided to break up before they really broke ground. The New Brunswick natives recorded one full-length album in 2000, but never released it. Seven years later, Inamorato is finally out and it smells like bits and pieces of Lifetime and Husker Du. Inamorato defines Rock, Star's own form of gritty punk rock with its speedy rock melodies and energetic hooks. Rock, Star for the most part, blend thick pop rock riffs of now with complex indie rock beats of the 90's. However sometimes the past should stay out of the present. Most of Inamorato is enjoyable but a lot of it is un-magnetic.

The opening track, "Love & Crime," is fresh with hard-hitting guitars and strained vocals. The infectious range of singer Zak Kaplan provides listeners with a medley of push and pull vocals that make a great effort.

The second track, "Believe In," starts off with a post-hardcore type riff but despite its name, leaves little to believe in. The music stays afloat while Kaplan's vocals become so choked in the saturated drumbeats that it's hard to follow his voice. Thankfully, they don't last through the entire track the last minute or so of the track is simply instrumental.

"Nerve" is a heavily ska influenced track. There are no horns in the track but the bass lines and accented guitar sail over coordinated, weighty drumbeats. Its vocals are meaty and heavy. The most energy on this album is in a track called "Fingernails," which starts off with lighter hardcore riffs and exerts power throughout the track. "Rock, Star" is the only other song on the nine track album that hits the mark of blending together Kaplan's vocals with the rest of the sound, which on this track is melodic, solid and fresh with deep bottom tones.

The rest of the album is an attempt to unify Kaplan and the rest of the band, which seem to be at odds. Kaplan's vocals are so nervy and overwrought that they strain the possibility of success for most of the songs. I don't know why Rock, Star waited seven years to release Inamorato because it sounds like a demo in its early stages. Perhaps in another seven years, Rock, Star will turn out a more polished and fine tuned Inamorato.