The Daybreakers are a band who I have enjoyed pretty much everything that has come out of their music - and I am delighted that the band has released another song. “Black Beatles on the Radio” is an anthem. The band describes it as an “ode to the originators of rock’n’roll: Memphis Minnie, Otis Blackwell & Sister Rosetta Tharpe”.
When I think of rock ‘n’ roll, I think of energy - the drive, the almost lust-like feeling that comes with such music. The freewheeling, almost casual authenticity and ‘coolness’ that comes naturally.
However, it seems that sometime in the 1980s or so that this genre shifted. Nowadays, what passes for rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t seem to have the same drive and passion that artists - especially from the 1950s - had. In fact, most of the time, the label has changed to simply ‘rock’.
That is not the case with the Daybreakers. They have managed to capture that same energy and emotion found in rock ‘n’ roll - proper rock ‘n’ roll - music and sound.
And it is a bit strange considering there are only five musicians on the track - guitarist and singer Aidan Connell, bassist Conor Cotterill, drummer James Gullis, and featuring Ray Dury on the Hammond & Roland Juno and Leo Smith on harmonica. Still, you look at a lot of the music from the 1950s and there were only a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and a singer. Sometimes, you don’t need frills like a horn section to capture that ‘rock ‘n’ roll spirit’. In fact, some would say that horns aren’t a part of rock ‘n’ roll, but I’d have to disagree. . .
What sticks is that the Daybreakers are simply one of those bands that are undeniably cool. You can tell from their music alone that they own that seemingly effortlessly cool attitude and style. Like ‘we’re going to play what we like and it doesn’t matter if you like it. What matters is that WE like it’.
In this case, this writer does like what she hears. It is music that takes a stance. In many cases, the music of the Daybreakers is the sort of music you ought to put on if you want to just hear an awesome song. Still, there is something in the energy, the drive, and the passion that pours off their sound that brings you back. I believe that the rock’n’rollers of the 1950s would be proud that rock’n’roll still has a name with its roots still prevalent in this age.
In simplest words, this is 100% what rock’n’roll is about.
Comments