Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
California’s alternative rock quintet, Night Riots will be releasing Love Gloom on the 21st of October through Sumerian Records. Featuring hit songs “Contagious” and “Nothing Personal”, the album contains a collection of diverse and energetic tracks that will inevitably get stuck in your head. Love Gloom brings together a series of songs that are emotionally thought-provoking while making you want to dance around. Night Riots is made up by Travis Hawley on vocals, Rico Rodriguez on drums, Matt DePauw on guitar, Nick Fotinakes on guitar, and Mikel Van Kranenburg on bass.
“Fangs” is quite possibly one of my favorite tracks on the album. It is catchy, upbeat, and fun to listen to right from the beginning. There is a soft blend of reggae chops interchanged throughout the verses creating an interesting change of pace when contrasting the rest of the song. Hawley uses his vocal abilities to give the song a broader range of pitch, inevitably making it a fun sing-along.
“Don’t Kill the Messenger” experiments with darker musical undertones using slightly heavier guitar chords and a reminiscent feel of 80’s synth-pop. The instruments and vocal parts are blended cohesively, allowing for all the parts to portray themselves in perfect unison.
“All For You” begins with a gentle rhythm from the bass and drums that are eventually joined by subtle guitar chords creating a flawless transition for the vocals. The song is a seemingly mellow number but it then makes an unexpected turn with much more drastic drums. Creating a sense of urgency, the musical progression is pleasantly surprising and different from the rest of the album.
“Tear Me Apart” provokes a feeling of nostalgia, similar to the rock ballads of my childhood. It has the acoustic solo, the backup vocals singing “Oh’s”, and lyrics of a broken heart combined with an emotional vocal delivery. This song triggers an emotional feel trip for any and all who have allowed themselves to be sentimentally vulnerable. It’s a wonderfully crafted track.
Closing Love Gloom is “As You Are”, a mellow and touching number that portrays the abilities of Night Riots willingness to venture into different musical styles. The song pulls at the heartstrings with a poignant piano and lyrics full of emotion that unapologetically display their vulnerability. A choir-like soprano/alto voice alongside violins and soft drums build a gentle crescendo before Hawley and the rest of the band ties it in beautifully at the end.
Love Gloom is vastly different from what I normally listen to and I definitely embraced it right after the first play-through. Every song feels like it belongs on the album, without a single track feeling oddly placed. Despite heartache being the re-occurring theme throughout, the musicianship and creativity of Night Riots keeps every song fresh and easily loveable.
For more information on Night Riots and their upcoming North American tour make sure to check them out at :
