With the latest developments in alternative music, one thing has become obvious: rock will never die.
And it’s a good thing, too, because like all genres, rock goes through phases of creativity and innovation. Indie grunge band ODDITY is riding the latest wave of experimentation. Formed in 2012 as Fletcher, ODDITY has reinvented themselves with their debut album Settle Down. Their neo-punk style and consuming energy, while not all that distinctive on the surface, definitely has that distinctive feature that sets them apart.
ODDITY the New Face of Rock
The album starts out with the titular track “Settle Down.” It has a grungy rock intro and a steady, driving rhythm with a really post-punk energy to it, like all the tracks on the album. The lyrics, “wind me up, push me around / Just don’t tell me to settle down,” sums up the entire album. ODDITY has that rebellious, defiant passion that characterizes the best of rock and roll, and they’re showing it off in spades.
“Ghost” opens up with an upbeat drum intro and surfer guitar riffs. It has a head-banging rhythm to it and the passion throughout can almost described as angry. “Pressure’s Gone” begins with elaborate guitar riffs and the same energy that pervades the rest of the album. The emotional expressiveness is evident from the drums to the guitar solos, even to the passionate, frustrated vocals.
The future of rock isn’t hanging in the balance. The genre is totally safe. However, the creative characteristics of the genre are up for grabs.
Bands like ODDITY remind us that while the genre may change, it will always remain true to its roots, the driving emotion and power that dominates rock and roll. The genre isn’t dead at all, it isn’t even struggling, but it’s witnessing a new phase, and the face of that phase is ODDITY.
