La Rocca
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La Rocca

| INDIE

| INDIE
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The best kept secret in music

Press


"La Rocca at CMJ 2005"

For lack of a better term, they blew me away. Though born and raised in Ireland, these four boys create music that sounds all American. Sort of like The Thrills, but instead of a Beach Boys-esque, surfinspired sound, La Rocca take their inspiration from America's heartland. Mix The Boss, Wilco, Ryan Adams, a tad of Widespread (when they're playing actual songs and not jamming), Jesse Malin, etc. and you'll have some sort of idea of what La Rocca sound like. Their forthcoming album is produced by the amazing Tony Hoffer (Beck, Air, Supergrass). The band's live performance is "where it's at", as they say. Following their gig, I heard a number of people chatting with the band, asking them where to find music, when they're playing next, etc. etc. These guys are ready for the big time right now and were one of the best surprises of this year's CMJ. - Trip Wire


"La Rocca live at Mercury Lounge"

layed there for the very first time on Tuesday, May 9. This was their first New York show. They only have an four song EP Sing, Song, Sung (Dangerbird Records) out. They sold out the place. Before the show, people were begging to get in. They couldn’t. This four piece from Dublin relocated to Los Angeles, got up on Mercury’s small stage, took up their instruments and made that venue theirs.

How do they sound? Let me give you the recipe.

Take four very hot looking, charismatic, talented Irish men as your base.
Add a drop of Indie Rock
Add another drop of Blues
Throw in (just a pinch) of Ben Folds Five
A touch of Keane
A small pinch of early U2
Gritty real life vignettes a la Springsteen
A very large dollop of excellent songwriting
An extremely large dose of Hot Damn, they good! Musicianship

Stir well, let settle for awhile, then plug in and play.

They’re that good.

They kicked off their set with the song, "Sketches, (20 something life)" a driving, moody, and oddly exuberant piece. Upon first hearing the song, you may not know the words, but still have the urge to sing along. Visions of misspent youth, regrets, and longing flash through your heart. And they didn’t let up through their (too short) nine song set. Each song is a melodic jewel filled with strong hooks, musical twists and non - derivative lyrics- yes that’s right, no knockoffs!

Raspy voiced lead singer, Bjorn Baille has that certain j’n’sais quoi that’s sorely lacking in other bands. Whether he’s cracking wise to the audience or pouring his heart out in a microphone, you can’t help but keep your eyes on him. The rest of band; Nick Haworth - keyboards, Alan Redmond -drums, and Simon Baillie - bass play so tightly it’s like listening to one instrument. They’re that cohesive.

Don’t take my word for it, but if you love good rock n’ roll, it would behoove you to check them out when they come to your town. What’s going to cost you oh, maybe eight dollars today for a show now, will probably cost you twenty or more for a ticket in a year from now.

La Rocca’s first Full Length CD The Truth, will be released in early August on Dangerbird Records (www.dangrebirdrecords.com).
To find out more about La Rocca or listen to their songs, check out their website www.larocca.ie - New York Edge


"La Rocca Chicago review"

Skulking up to the stage in trim black leather jackets, green vests, heavy brimmed hats, and 10-day shadows, La Rocca certainly looked the part of the gritty and melancholically jubilant Dublin rabble they portray in the pop synthesis they have hashed into songs.

Who would have ever guessed they left the realism of the emerald isle to call the brash simulacrum of Los Angeles home?

With only the Sing Song Sung EP officially released on Dangerbird records, La Rocca came across as a cohesive and traveled group, revealing their mastery of the pop-rock form with its neatly timed elevations and brief, lyrical promises. It was clear that their success over seas has given them a great amount of confidence, which translated to sincerity and urgency in their performance.

“Chicago, are we friends yet?” Of course we are. After four gin and tonics, anyone will be your friend.

I know it is all too easy to make the U2 comparison, but I must. I am not talking about "Beautiful Day to make some money" U2, but Joshua Tree and Unforgettable Fire U2, that saccharin infectious cocktail of social commentary and emotional confession that could have only been written from a long walk on a street with no name.

Baillie seems to come close to this balance with a line like “I wish I read more papers on how the west was won,” a reflexive statement on American progress buried amongst a love letter left early in the morning.

As one would expect from a band with a song spot on a recent episode of the OC, most of the bands material deals with easily digestible stories about love leaving and the bleary eyed search for truth.

La Rocca's greatest talents lies with their ability to build simple, catchy melodies, often under the tutelage of keyboardist, Nick Haworth, who seems lost in the task of sweeping the keys clean with his bangs. The drummer and self proclaimed band promoter, Alan Redmond, also did well to keep the rhythm tight with eyes wide and feasting on the crowd.

I have no doubt that in time, riding the graces of their Dublin accents, La Rocca will win over the hearts of many young Americans, finding their place in the temporary pantheon of iPod shuffles and today's pop canon. - Lumino Magazine


"THE IRISH IMPRESS IN MANCHESTER"

...after an electric and eclectic weekend at In The City only a few of the participating acts caused the kind of stir you would associate with next years hot things.....La Rocca will ensnare anyone looking for the next Keane or Coldplay. - Sunday Times (London)


"La Rocca light up Belfast"

Dublin-based 4 piece La Rocca seem blissfully unaware that we are in the darkest reaches of winter, so wrapped up are they in their eternal summer vibe thing. From the off, I'm charmed.

Lead singer Bjorn Baillie strides the stage like a young beatnik Springsteen, complete with bobble-hat and beard. Classic jangly pop with nods to all the usual suspects (The Byrds, the Beach Boys) yet infused with so many of their own ideas to avoid catcalls of plagiarism. They have a way with a big chorus too, just like Supergrass used to.

Sing, Song, Sung is the stand out track, with the kind of fizzle and urgency last heard on The Strokes 'Someday'. - Alternative Ulster


"LA ROCCA / THE VINES REVIEW"

La Rocca were well worth checking out on this amazing bill. For the past two years they have been honing their talents and surviving on the fringes of the scene - to their obvious benefit.

Their time may have come. - The Event Guide Dublin


"The future is here"

Singer Bjorn Baillie has a towering presence on stage. He doesn't say allot on stage, but that doesn't matter. Most of the songs grabbed the audience attention so much that they didn't warrant any banter before them.

A highlight was the addition of a cellist to perform a song called 'Paris' with Bjorn on keys and vocals. It really was beautiful - the whole crowd fell silent and the atmosphere was magical.

As much as I try to describe La Rocca to you, I can't think of anyone they remotley sound like. They might live in the same vicinity as maybe Muse, The Vines and even Radiohead, but that still doesn't capture their sound.

It's rare that I like a new band this much and I can't emphasise enough that you should do your best to see them live as soon as possible. - Iris Magazine Dublin


"Forget the hype"

I wouldn't like to compare La Rocca to recently hyped band The Thrills but after listening to both bands for the first time, one after the other, I couldn't help but sympathise with La Rocca for not receiving the same media coverage.

They are certainly as good as them, if not better.

The 4 tracks on this Sing, Song, Sung EP require constant head-nodding, foot stomping and entusiastic thumb tapping throughout, this critic really rates them. - Mongrel Magazine


Discography

Sing, Song, Sung EP - Irish version
Sing, Song, Sung EP - Australian version
Sing, Song, Sung EP - US version

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

The Band:
* Bjorn Baillie – vocals, guitar
* Nick Haworth – keyboards, guitar, vocals
* Simon Baillie – bass, vocals
* Alan Redmond - drums

Onetwothreefour lads living large in Dublin City via Cardiff via Bristol…but mostly via an unrefined neck oilery and cocktail bar named The La Rocca - a den of iniquity serving elixirs that offer danger and deliverance by the glass and as fine a place as any to fire the first shots for a true rock ‘n roll band.

Fate turns on a tuppence. For La Rocca it spun on a chance 2am meeting at the turn of the 21st century between college reprobates Bjorn and Nick – one drunk, one sober, neither boy backward in coming forward about their love of a good tune. One jam, a dozen bottles and coupla phone calls later, the feral confederacy of magnificent bastards known as La Rocca was born.

Cue the Roaring Years – an era of strange days, and stranger nights.

This was shared house living at its worst and home recording at its best. In between we’re talking about rampant unrepentant gig piggery, touring high n low, far n wide on the black ribbons to God Knows Where, lugging gear, living on scraps, coasting on fumes, kicking out jams, running from guns, doing it for the Cash (Johnny), bowing to The Boss (Bruce) and playing longer, harder and straighter for the people than any damn band going.

Then the breaks. Cracking the charts and airwaves with EP Sing, Song, Sung (unofficially Drink, Drank, Drunk), landing a 1500 seater gig with Jet where they watched the rider from heaven disappear inside the roadie from hell, sharing stages with The Vines and Death in Vegas, touring Australia and the US, then blowing the roof clear off South by Southwest in 2004.

All the while, La Rocca were breathing heavy down the neck of a dream. Dangerbird Records and Chrysalis publishing in the US chased ‘em down and having signed on the line for future greatness, the band set about walking it.

Which brings us to The Now: four Irish devils deep in the City of Angels, LA feverishly recording their debut long-player with the erstwhile Tony Hoffer (Beck, Air, Supergrass) by day… and by night, painting the town golden brown with their rolling thunder sound.

As we speak, La Rocca are in the final throes of corralling 30-40 songs in the legendary Sound Factory studio – tunes about love, hate, action, death – a hit-list herd of wild horses being quietly whipped into rock ‘n roll racehorses soon to be unleashed around the world.

Already, the biz is abuzz:, legend Neil Young has tuned in, famed producer Daniel Lanois (Bob Dylan, U2, Peter Gabriel) is lauding them loud and proud, The Strokes are said to be running scared, and Jack White (or was that Jack Black?) was recently seen jigging like a fish at one of their gigs.

2006 might be the year of our Lord… but it belongs to LA ROCCA.