Root Cellar Xtract – “A London Rain”
Root Cellar Xtract – “A London Rain” – Single Review
Straight outta the root cellar and into our speakers…here we go.
Admittedly, it took me a second or two for me to decide what I really thought about the sound of Root Cellar Xtract, because you really just don’t find a whole lot of this style of music out there in the scene right now, but I felt like there was a lyrical cleverness that deserved my full attention. “She moves with the clouds, like the chances that I’ve blown” is a fantastic line, and having that kind of insightful lyricism occur early on in a song will keep me listening every time. I also liked the way the music opens up from the very start, sliding gently into place with an undeniable combination of precision and professionalism. That’s all we’re ever asking for, right folks? Pass or fail when it comes to the court of public opinion, all you can ever do as an artist or band is put the best you’ve got into what you do, and let the chips fall where they may. As this new single from Root Cellar Xtract continued on to reveal a sort of old-school charm you’d find in tunes by The Carpenters and such, you kinda can’t help but smile at the classic vibes it contains, while at the same time acknowledging tracks like this face an enormously tough battle to get out there to the mainstream on account of the sound being somewhat of an anomaly in these modern times we’re in. That doesn’t mean songs like “A London Rain” don’t have a place, or won’t eventually find their audience – it just means that it usually takes a little bit longer to figure out where all that is.
There’s some great stuff to be found here though…specifically, the keys sound spectacular right before the guitar solo occurs, which is another excellent part of the song as well. There’s also that flute sound in the mix too, which is used brilliantly to add an extra layer of melody that most people might not even notice, but it’s absolutely essential to this song. Is it an actual flute, or keyboards – I don’t know, but it sounds authentic, and I suppose that’s all that really matters, right? Vocals are on-point throughout if we’re talkin’ about tone, and I’d reckon they’re also the right fit for a song done in this particular style.
Clearly put together by professionals, Root Cellar Xtract obviously knows their way around the studio and how to achieve results. “A London Rain” is likely an interesting tune for them to add to their catalog – everything I’ve read about Root Cellar Xtract points to them being a Country-Rock band, and this single is not that, not a bit, not at all. We can split hairs on how far that genre extends if you like, but if you wanna try to convince me that a song like “A London Rain” isn’t closer to stuff like you’d find in Smokey Robinson’s music, or Juice Newton, or The Carpenters, than it is to just about anything in Country-Rock, then I think we’re having a different conversation with all due respect, partner. There’s nothing out there that says just because you identify your music with a specific genre, or your band with a certain style, that you can’t simply decide to do something a little outside of the norm though – of course you can, and honestly, should. Root Cellar Xtract wears the sound of a song like “A London Rain” extremely well – it genuinely suits them – to the point where if I hadn’t even read all the Country-Rock stuff, I doubt I would have even guessed that’s what they create on the regular. Sometimes it can be nice to surprise your fans with something new, and in the process, sometimes you’ll even surprise yourself by what comes out. I don’t really know a lot about what Root Cellar Xtract given that this is my first experience with their music, but assuming they’re as Country-Rock based as their main website would have you believing, a track like “A London Rain” reveals that there’s more dimensions to their sound than perhaps has been advertised. And no, I’m not saying that it’s the largest departure you’ll ever hear occurring in music…Folk-Pop is a close enough cousin for it to make sense…but c’mon…I’m sure we can all agree that “A London Rain” is a lot different than what you’d expect if you were looking for Country-Rock. Anyhow…all that stuff is just labels and genres and I barely believe in either of those things at this point…we should all have the freedom to be hybrids in our craft, and roam wherever our art will take us. Sounds like what you’ll hear in “A London Rain” can show up in unique places…think along the lines of stuff like “12 Gracious Melodies” by Stone Temple Pilots, or even “Singing In The Rain” by Mint Royale.
While it’s unquestionably out of lockstep with what’s currently out there right now, it’s quaint, it’s got a humble & sweet sound, it’s pleasant, and it’s an alternative to so much of what dominates the scene. If you’re looking for a delicate, dreamy throwback vibe…this might be exactly what you really wanna hear.
Find out more about Root Cellar Xtract at their official website at: https://www.rootcellarxtract.com
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