Super Doppler “Moonlight Anthems”
Super Doppler (formerly known as Major And The Monbacks) is a rock band from Norfolk, VA consisting of six members: Neal Friedman on keys, guitar, and vocals; Michael Adkins on keys, guitar, and vocals; Cole Friedman on bass guitar; Tyler West on percussion; Harry Slater on guitar, keyboards, and vocals, and Bryan Adkins on drums. The members of the band met in high school, and describe their beginnings as “a loose collective of high school friends with a common interest in late nights and loud music.”
The catchy opener “There There” has a distinct 70’s flavor, like a lost Three Dog Night track with the chiming “la-la-la” backing vocals, and piano rhythm. That retro style is carried forth on the title track, reminiscent of the late Joe Cocker or Greg Allman, with brass adding to the atmosphere, but the jewel in the crown is the next track. “We Are Doing Fine” is a sweet Beach Boys-Beatles amalgam with a big fat sing-along hook in the main verse and trumpet flourishes in the Yellow Submarine style. The remaining songs aren’t as immediately satisfying but vary in style to prevent predictability. “You Should Know” has some great instrumentation, and it’s a soulful performance. “Here Comes The King” is another brass led pop gem with a shifting tone. Overall, it’s a little overlong but still, some great music is here so check Super Doppler out.
The Rationales “Upstream”
The Rationales earlier works The Distance in Between and Dream Of Fire are steeped in a rich power pop sound. Upstream starts strong with a great opening riff on “Ready To Go” and its chugging chorus is punctuated by a wicked guitar solo. However, with “Trade You” it settles into a mellower MOR style of arena rock. “Climb The Ladder” is another decent rocker that wears out its welcome past the six-minute mark.
The even slower “Under The Gun” has some nice touches with its slide guitar and stadium-sized melody. The band’s skill is evident, but the songs are missing hooks and don’t all resonate strongly compared to past work. However, the rootsy “Dulcinea” is a richly composed gem with layered instrumentation that builds to a peak. Overall, uneven but worth the effort to catch the gems contained here.