I Am The Riot
South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | SELF
Music
Press
The AU Review sits down with Melbourne band I Am The Riot's leading man Brendan Ryder while at Canadian Music Week in Toronto. - The AU Review
I AM THE RIOT
Hearts
A huge amount of brutal honesty, of heartfelt emotion, is apparent from the moment you start listening to the debut album from this Melbourne punk-folk outfit.
That is on the opening track Sugar Skulls, which has lines such as "praying and wishing I was Elvis cause then I'd know you'd be into me" and "but I'll wait, I'll wait for her to come around".
This sort of feeling is the constant theme here, past loves, unrequited love and all the issues that go with that.
And alcohol.
While it may sound that way, this is not a sombre offering, there are even some celebratory, party- anthem songs among this lot.
At times this is heavy, at times laid back, at times really fun, which allows the listener to be kept guessing on this journey.
The best tracks here are Never Alone, Stay Away, Hearts, Sugar Skulls and Young Country Hearts.
4 stars
- ALEX FAIR - The Examiner
Melbourne’s I Am the Riot need the services of a decent producer, but the song is there. Never Alone is a ripping DIY pop-punk anthem of the Paramore variety and the Soundwave audience is within their grasp. Singer Brendan Ryder has big, confident voice that catches on the notes in an interesting way. - Beat Magazine
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
After claiming the number one spot in the Unearthed Punk Charts with their “ripping DIY punk anthem” (Beat Magazine) Never Alone, punk-based folk four piece I Am The Riot are set to tour after the release their debut album HEARTS.
As the name suggests, this release from Melbourne’s I Am The Riot is full of heartbreak and redemption. “Heartbreak? Well everyone has that in one way or another,” states bass player Tyson Venn, “Redemption comes through travelling the world, and through boozy nights playing music with best friends.”
I Am The Riot recorded Hearts at The Base Recording Studios with ARIA nominated producer Phil Threlfall.
From the first chord of Sugar Skulls, to the last epic note of Half Cut Plans,
lyricist and lead vocalist Brendan Ryder takes listeners on a cross continental journey of grand proportions. With the majority of this album written in dive bars in America’s south and recorded in
Melbourne, I Am The Riot are carving out their own distinct sound.
Not content to be pigeonholed into any one genre, the music-obsessed lads wear their love of punk, rock, folk and country with pride. “From Elvis to Gaslight, from Johnny Cash to Against Me!, from Springsteen to The Hold Steady & Frank Turner; we are not afraid to wear our hearts and our influences on our sleeves,” says Ryder.
Imagine a band that captures the raw energy and masculinity of Springsteen, the lyricism of Frank Turner and the working class rock of The Living End, Melbourne's I Am The Riot’s 11 track release is bringing back passionate anthems, big sounds, broken strings and bleeding hearts.
Band Members
Links
