There’s no shortage of NYC-based acts that have changed music… The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol – basically any band you’d have seen or read about in the semi-recent Meet Me In The Bathroom documentary. With The Strokes having won a Grammy for The New Abnormal; Yeah Yeah Yeahs riding high on the success of their new album; and Interpol touring the world and playing stadiums with The Smashing Pumpkins, there’s no doubt the world is ready and willing to hear more NYC-bred, guitar-driven music. Enter wunderkind ROREY, the 23 year old grunge-popper who is turning heads with her palatable blend of ’90s influenced nostalgia triggers. We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing her latest album, Apt 7d, and it itches that deep-rooted scratching that exists in our tired millennial brains for good times (i.e. the aughts) now long past.
EP opener “Burned Your Letter” introduces us to the hallmarks of ROREY’s sound – watery bass guitar plunking; punchy drum theatrics; keyboard-laced atmospherics; and, of course, ROREY’s cooing vocal presence. It’s dark and moody, but there’s a clear pop sheen to ROREY’s compositions – they glisten and gleam despite the underlying heart-on-your-sleeve vibes that she ostensibly emits. ROREY sings with just enough of a slur to keep her lyrics slightly masked – a purring darkness that keeps things interesting, even in a crowded sea of talented NYC acts.
Album highlight “Mirror” is ROREY at her best, a deeply-groovy and tambourine-laced song full of an inconceivable amount of vocal hooks. Bringing to mind genre luminaries like Soccer Mommy, Boygenius, or Girlpool, “Mirror” highlights ROREY’s emotionally-charged songwriting while giving her impassioned vocals the perfect limelight. With “Ay-ays” aplenty and vocal runs to die for (see the exceptionally unique expression she lets loose in the pre-chorus here), ROREY shows off some pipes in a way that proves she’s more than just another indie-rocking passing trend. Her prowess is on full display through these six songs, whether it’s the steady plodding of fellow highlight “Sit W It” which has new-age Now, Now vibes, or, the tremelo-laced slow burn of “Wilted Rose.”
ROREY keeps it strong all the way through closing song “Emotional Hangover,” where she layers big effected drumbeats beneath fuzzed-out bass and tinges of acoustic guitar. ROREY starts things on an almost menacing vibe here with her haunting melodies setting the initial scene. Sooner rather than later, she brings it back into a glorious indie-pop chorus where the vibes lighten and the sugary-sweet melodies blossom. It’s a fitting end to an EP full of tasty hooks and proof that ROREY never lets up when it comes to flexing her melodic muscles.
You can find Apt 7d on Spotify and Apple Music. Check out the music video for “Mirror” below.