Rome Will Burn EP Review
Written by Taylor Van Arsdale
Photos Courtesy of Rome Will Burn
When you’re asked to review an EP and you begin researching the artist the last thing you expect is to discover that the lead singer, Alyssa Suede (great name by the way) is an Olympic trained figure skater and other half of the electro-pop duo, violin virtuoso Carlton Moody, is also an accomplished roller-blader that goes by the DJ moniker “Manifesto.” It’s an odd assortment of facts to be sure, but the combination proves to be quite impressive musically.
Suede’s voice reminds us of Terri Nunn (Berlin)—it’s melodious, pleasing, with amazing range and dynamics—just listen to “Live By The Beat.” On this track Moody’s violin provides a nice juxta-position of symphonic orchestration against the hypnotic synth. This is one of those songs you like more and more each time you listen to it.
And though the band is promoting “Chameleon” as the single—we love “Waging Romance”—this song has a catchy, radio-ready feel. It’s easy to imagine this track in a movie soundtrack and if Suede and Moody keep up writing and producing music like this, they could easily have a hit as popular as Disney’s, “Frozen.”
“Live By The Beat” may be the weakest track on the EP and yet it’s still highly enjoyable. “Body Language” combines dance and funk for an interesting disco groove with a hint of country “ho-down” styled-violin—and yes, somehow those genres all blend together for a perfectly executed dance track.
There are some wonderful elements happening in this EP—music that has a funky, bass-slapping groove yet is synth-driven and highly danceable.
Rome Will Burn has a show coming up on November 18, 2015 at the Viper Room. If you’re in Los Angeles, we suggest you check them out—because if they keep going on this trajectory they’re going to break out and be huge.
