While there have been quite few quality rookie bands coming out of the woodwork in 2020, rockers looking for a little action this spring needn’t look much further than the music video for Secret Social Club‘s “Gravity” for a guaranteed good time. “Gravity” is the virgin single from SSC and, in a nutshell, the perfect combination of heavy rock and pop-friendly hooks previously missing from the American musical lexicon this early April, and though it’s only our first glimpse into what Secret Social Club can accomplish in or outside of the studio, it’s certainly a powerhouse of an introduction if I’ve ever heard one before.
Watch “Gravity”
As textured as the instrumental harmonies in this track are, the vocal consistently feels like the most important element in the master mix. Carefully positioned between the grind of the guitars and the crash of the drums, the verses collide with the bassline for command over the main groove in the chorus, but outside of this one explosive moment, there’s never a moment in “Gravity” that doesn’t feel meticulously structured to play out as seamlessly as possible. Jagged rhythms might be all the rage among electronically-faceted indie groups this season, but they seem to have no place in the organic slab of rock thunder being afforded to audiences here.
It would be interesting to hear how Secret Social Club perform “Gravity” in a live setting, and personally, I think they could take it in a couple of different directions depending on the type of venue they were performing in. There’s definitely enough room in this arrangement to allow for an extended jam in between choruses, and while it’s not the trendiest component to invite into a modern rock composition, I can totally see where a guttural guitar solo could make a home for itself near the conclusion of the song (provided the crowd was responding to the beat as well as I envision they would).
They’ve still a long road lying ahead of Secret Social Club as they claw their way through the hierarchy of upstart indie rock syndicates, but as long as they can find a way to maintain the attitude that they bring to the studio with them in this debut cut, I think they’re going to find quite the loyal audience sooner than later. “Gravity” is a weighty hurricane of distorted grooves and supple harmonies, and if you’re a true blue rocker, I recommend giving it a spin as soon as possible.
