When I think about rock music, I tend to think of the stereotypical view of people playing electric guitars, having long hair, wearing punk outfits, singing lyrics on a bunch of inappropriate topics, and so on. While the genre itself is massive in terms of holding many sub-genres, it’s style and messages tend to fall toward that specific view. However, there is so much more than what meets the eye. Take for example, The Score, an alternative rock band that recently released an album last year called “Carry On”.
The band is led by its two leaders, Eddie Anthony the main singer and Edan Dover the pianist. I did not hear about this band until I started watching Dude Perfect on YouTube. Many of the songs they use in their videos came from this band. When I started to research the songs and listen to the band’s other songs, I became hooked. This has continued to this day with their newest album, “Carry On” which brings about a combination of different styles while staying within the main message.
The message that the album presents is simply summarized by the title. The songs all fall into the theme of rising up and pushing through. Some of the titles fit with this theme like “The Champion”, “Glory”, and the main song “Carry On”. This of course is what the artists were trying to aim for. Their whole point is to encourage those listening to be inspired, motivated, to move along with the music, and take action. In fact, this is the kind of song one could listen to when doing homework or to get into a better mood.
The way the lyrics are arranged tends to start off similarly. It starts off with like a story or a feeling that the singer is currently experiencing. Aftwards, the lyrics begin to build up to the main chorus whether it be an increase of words, faster rhythm and so on. When the big part arrives, it tends to either say the name of the song either exactly the same or very similarly but with changed words. This usually occurs either in the beginning or toward the end of the sentence. Following aftwards, the format presents another introduction or sequel to the main message. Then, it begins to build up once again and present the main chorus. The third part dies down and sometimes feels a bit more slower or that there’s tension in the air. Finally, the main part comes back more thunderous and loud than previously sounded before finally concluding. This is the format that the majority of the album’s songs tend to follow.
However, it isn’t just the lyrics that fit with this, the music also encourages this by bringing this sense of motivation. It’s hard not to bounce your head to the beat or even clapping along. The sound of the hard beating drums in the background for some of the songs make it sound almost like there’s a crowd clapping to the beat. This fits with them being more anthemic like what you would hear at a sports stadium. In fact, some of the band’s songs have been used in stadiums for Football, Basketball, and etc.
But while there is that sense of rock and roll theme, there are some exceptions. Songs like “Can You Hear Me Now” and “Born For This” both start off seemingly at a slower pace with a unique sound. A combination of electro sounds, pop, and rock all make an intriguing opening to what eventually leads to the main part which leans back toward the rock genre. However, that pop style and electric sounds are still heard in the background which is sprinkled throughout the different parts.
When comparing “Carry On” to the band’s previous album “Pressure” one can see that the combination of music styles is still there but slightly changed. Many of the songs in the older album expressed more usage of different music styles. Some examples include techno sounds like in the song “Never Going Back”, pop style format in “Under The Pressure”, and even a little bit of rapping in “Dreamin”.
In conclusion, the album “Carry On” by The Score is one that should take a chance to listen. It fits well when trying to lift up a gloomy mood or needs some motivation to do something. Whether you like rock music, or a combination of electro pop, indie rock, and anthemic themes, this album presents this very well.
The Beat @APU 