This mob seem to come from Perth, a town which seems to live in several weird time warps all at once. The convict past and the glorious fuck-you-we’re-suddenly-rich '80s, and all the other sorts of odd pockets of Australiana you can imagine.Including this strange slice of Americana. The USA has always fascinated us, from its bigness to its familiar yet bizarrely different way of doing things - one reason why tv shows like Cops or those talk shows are so popular. So near and yet so far.
Just like the past. I can only imagine that Rocket to Memphis (note: it’s to Memphis, not from Memphis, which I guess an American band would call itself) either have a scene around them, or fit into a scene which has a slather of bands working their way into the gore. Kudos to Rocket to Memphis for pulling together and recreating this variation of 50s r’n’r, it ain’t easy trying to nail a genre - I mean think of it. This revolutionary period lasted, in effect, barely four years (yes, I know there was overlap, but the fairy-floss rush from Elvis’ ’56 breakout was over by ’59), and people are still digging into the area for inspiration.
Okay, then. It’s not pure 50s, and thank god for that. It is modern, and while there’s a sleekness to the familiar riffs and structures, the recording’s clean and sharp and the playing gets your attention.
My favourite two tracks were Ride to the Stars and Slap Back, tho In Black and White and Swamp Guy get honourable mentions. If Rocket to Memphis were in your hometown you’d want to check them out, and you’d probably find yourself dancing. I have a few favourites on here and no, I’m not sharing. Go listen for yourself. They made a big effort, they deserve feet on the dancefloor.
