Rome Is Burning – “Real Easy”
Rome Is Burning – “Real Easy” – Single Review
Way to play into the stereotype that was trending last year…didn’t they say that dudes think about ancient Rome like, ten times a day or something strange like that? While I can’t claim that’s true for myself personally on this side of the screen & speakers, I suppose if it’s even 10% true, that’s gotta play to the advantage of a band called Rome Is Burning, right? Essentially, half the population is already thinking about’em whether they realized it or not…that’s gotta translate into sales of some sort, right?
Alright – I’ll be honest, I don’t know any of that stuff for a certain fact, and the only truths I’ve ever known are the ones I’ve heard with my own two ears. What I LOVE about “Real Easy” by Rome Is Burning, is that these guys clearly understand how to go about using their time. They don’t waste a solitary second in establishing an impact on ya as they explode into action from the get-go on this new single. In their bio, they’re compared to Velvet Revolver…and while I usually tend to disagree with most bands and artists on the ol’ sounds-like comparisons, I feel like Rome Is Burning nailed that perfectly. While it’s true that I’m always going to be on the STP side of that whole argument and didn’t really have all that much love for the whole VR sound & style, that doesn’t mean I didn’t get what made them great. Just wasn’t my thing at the end of the day, but there was enough of an overlap that whenever I’d hear something by Velvet Revolver, I’d stick around to see it through. It wasn’t like I was turning it off, you feel me? Plus, there was the occasional cut that I really did enjoy. Anyhow. Rome Is Burning is similar in sound…I think they’ve made the right assessment and it’s insightfully aware of the kind of music they set out to create, and for what it’s worth, they’re attacking it with supreme confidence and skill. I felt like “Real Easy” is a testament to the balance of strengths they possess as a band, and exposed no weak points that I could discern. And for the record, we critics LIVE TO DISCERN those weak points if they exist. Oh hells yes, we’re the discerning type, yes indeed we are. Those of us that pride themselves on being objective are. So rest assured, if there was some kind of concern to discern, I would have, and I’d tell ya all about it. Facts are facts though, and you can hear the truth for yourself with your own damn ears – Rome Is Burning didn’t hold anything back on “Real Easy” & put in a performance to be proud of.
I really dig the guitars from Chris Flanagan – this guy is clearly a master of the axe, and he’s armed with great ideas and equally great technique…full marks there. Stu BEARDSHAW, who might have one of the best last names I’ve ever read, definitely rips bass-lines like he was born to play – and Pete Smyth, his cohort in the rhythm section, has no problem hittin’ the skins with confidence, power, and precision. As for their man on the mic, Leigh Oates, it’s clear he’s up to the task and the right man for the job…dude projects with power when he needs to, and knows how to wield melody when it’s called for too. Like, take the bridge for example…I’m not gonna say it’s the selling feature of “Real Easy” at the end of the day, because a bridge rarely if ever is – but I think listeners will really like the way Leigh switches things up there for a moment and gives that section of the song a whole different flavor through a more soulful & stylistic approach to it, as opposed to the storm of raw power/sly smoothness he brought to the rest.
I don’t blow smoke though…you regular readers here know that…if I had something to say, I’d say it as plain as day…these guys are rock solid and clearly have a firm grip on what they wanna create. We’ve got a few lyrical lines in here that I’d probably say are more for the sake of fitting the rhyme scheme as opposed to saying exactly what they wanna say – but to be honest, I’d tell ya the exact same thing about a lot of Velvet Revolver’s catalog too, and/or even the words Weiland penned for my beloved STP as well. I guess that’s the real point here…we can nit-pick if we wanna, and you’ll always find a thread that can unravel a sweater if you pull at it hard enough…but by the same token, you can simply leave it the fuck alone and let it be if it’s not really bugging you. Rome Is Burning is doing what they do with passion and the kind of pure conviction that tells me they genuinely believe in the music they’re making, and in my personal opinion, that should always be encouraged. When you’re really putting everything you’ve got into everything that you do, the rest is just personal opinion, because you’ve left your critics with nothing else that can be said…and that’s the right way to go about winning the war & winning people over, no matter what they normally listen to. Passion always translates…commitment and dedication – these things MATTER…and they’re all attributes that are clearly part of Rome Is Burning’s musical DNA.
“Real Easy” gets its official release on the 14th this month – stay connected to Rome Is Burning at their official page at Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/romeisburninguk
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