New Artist Alert: Fools For Rowan

Fools For Rowan are the latest artist to rise from the Nashville flames, a female-fronted rock quintet who have been around for just over a year now. Debut single 'Burnt Around The Edges' drives with down-n-dirty guitars and soaring vocals. I was a little unmoved with the lo-fi sounding drums in the first verse but the impact of the first chorus when they dive crystal clear smack bang in the middle of the mix certainly told me; it turned out to be a great production technique and a great way to help develop a simple-sounding rock song. The backing vocals in the latter parts of the verses really add depth and the lead guitar work showcases some interesting ideas throughout. The solo section is a little flat, especially at the beginning but lifts towards the end;, I think overall the track has potential as a good rock song but lacks that real and raw impact to help it stand out although this could be down to post-production work rather than the band's song-writing abilities. Hearing it live would definitely cast the deciding vote.

The band's latest single, Dead, is a slighty more sinister and calmer affair, showcasing the band's rock-ballad side and highlighting a more-matured writing style. Soaring strings really lift the choruses and the solo section is a lot stronger in this song. It drops and builds in all the right places and really holds its own as a great-sounding rock ballad, with the passion and feeling I felt was lacking in Burnt Around The Edges a lot more evident here. Check out the video for Dead, where the visuals help to aid the lyrical meaning; amateur videos can be really difficult to get looking professional but Fools For Rowan have definitely pulled it off here:



The band continue to tour across the US, so if you live across the pond be sure to try and catch them soon. For everyone else, head over to the band's Facebook page to keep up to date with everything that's new with Fools For Rowan.