REVIVING THE AUTHENTIC ESSENCE OF INDIE ROCK’N’ROLL | ‘RENEGADE’ NEW SINGLE BY THE ROOKS

SINGLE REVIEW | RENEGADE – THE ROOKS By Keira Knox

The energetic new track ‘Renegade’ by Glasgow Indie-Rock group The Rooks is released ahead of their gig on Saturday, October 19, when they open for Blossoms. ‘Renegade,’ the band’s second release after the success of their first song ‘Lay Me Down,’ demonstrates the remarkably cohesive nature of the group’s music. The warm, full band background provided by layers of rich guitar tones, tight bass, and percussion perfectly complements the lead singer’s husky, smooth, and heartfelt delivery.

Grammy Award-winning producer Jim Lowe (Stereophonics, The Charlatans, Herbie Hancock, Foo Fighters, Manic Street Preachers, Taylor Swift) is accountable for the energetic and catchy chorus of ‘Renegade,’ which develops from a reflective verse. The song builds throughout and culminates in a powerful chorus as the band drives home the pop-rock sound’s commercial edge.

The band is reviving the authentic essence of indie rock ‘n’ roll with ‘Renegade’. It acts as an emblem of their individual sound, which is poised to dominate the music landscape in the not so distant future. Ross Gardiner’s vocals draw comparison to that of Kelly Jones, rasping around the lyrics as the heavy drum beats serve to elevate his vocal range. The Rooks do an exceptional job of delivering the very intimate themes of escape and introspection that are explored in this song.

Speaking on the track, Matthew McFadyen and Ross Gardiner explained: “I think the song’s about escaping and leaving something behind. Whether that be a feeling, a place or a person. Maybe, less the need for something or someone new, and more the need to get away from yourself. That someone is just a vehicle for distraction. I think most of us could use that at some point, whether we’d like to admit it. The song was recorded in London with our producer Jim Lowe. The track took its time to come to life and I think a few of us were having doubts of it being the next single. On our 3rd day in the studio we went back to what we had and started adding layers. The track slowly started to turn into a monster, and after a full days work, we had ‘Renegade’.”

With their raw, high-octane energy, The Rooks have already sold out Glasgow’s iconic King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut twice and supported major acts like Luke La Volpe at the SWG3 Galvanizers and The Shambolics at The Garage. They have emerged as one of Scotland’s hottest new live acts. The Rooks are gearing up to take their music nationwide with two upcoming shows: one at Glasgow’s O2 Academy supporting Blossom’s and the other as part of Louis Berry’s support tour in the UK.

Upcoming Live Dates:
Blossoms @ The 02 Academy Glasgow 19th October
Rooks Single Launch @ Van Winkles Barrowlands 2nd Nov
Newcastle Headline @ Little Buildings 9th Dec

Tickets are available here – The Rooks | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook | Linktree