Powerpop
Multi-instrumentalist Roman Aul is Redondo Beat, and while he hails from Freigericht, Germany, you’d swear he lived a previous life in American during the late 50s and early 60s. The music of Redondo Beat is a remarkably good throwback to the Golden Era of Rock and Roll, heavily influenced by the classic sounds of The Beach Boys, Bobby Vee, and Dion And The Belmonts. Any of the 10 tracks from “Meet Redondo Beat” could easily be mistaken for something you’d hear off an old 45.
“Meet Redondo Beat” gets off to an exciting start with the fun and infectious song, “The Sweetest Sound”. This tune is probably the best example of how well Aul can marry the classic styles of yesteryear with today’s contemporary sounds. “The Spell I’m Under” thrills with verses that remind me of the smash hit “Runaway” by Del Shannon. “My Baby” is another one of my favorites, this one revealing a love for Raspberries-styled melodies and bubble gun pop from the 70s. “Full Moon Child” expertly blends a country base line and 60s riffs reminiscent of Credence Clearwater Revival. “Can’t Wait Until Saturday Night” is a peppy number that would have been a 50s high school dance standard back in the day.
The production is solid and Aul fleshes out the backbeat with delectable female backing vocals, tasteful guitar, and plenty of bouncy piano. Despite that the songs are inspired from a diverse assortment of original rock and roll artists, from surf rock to Doo Wop, the record is cohesive from start to finish. I imagine many of today’s music fans, however, may grow weary of the sound about halfway through. I found it to be a lot of fun. In the unlikely event that the Golden Era of Rock and Roll will rise again, Redondo Beat could be “the leader of the pack”.
iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 3, 9
Redondo Beat on MySpace. Official site.
Listen to “The Sweetest Sound”
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