RAIN ON FRIDAYS
“Lincoln's Licorice”
“Slumber Party”
“Worry Bug”
Singles reviewed by Mike O’Cull, independent music journalist. www.mikeocull.com
Rain On Fridays is an engaging and powerful indie rock band based in San Diego, California that blends punk simplicity and energy with memorable hooks and unique lyrics. The two principal band members, lead singer Madison Coe and lead guitarist Jesse Miller, describe themselves as “two girls from San Diego who are ready 2 rock” and that’s a great description of their vibe. Their recent singles “Lincoln’s Licorice,” “Slumber Party,” and “Worry Bug” deftly merge the grit of alt-rock with the melodic sensibilities of pop/punk to create music that punches above its weight and display an unpretentious greatness that could lead to much bigger things.
“Lincoln’s Licorice” begins quietly but quickly turns to solid, power-chord rock that drives hard. It’s a “relationship is over” sort of song with a quirky but irresistible chorus that features Coe delivering the lines “It’s not you, it’s always me / And that’s how it’s always gonna be / So I’m up and leaving / It’s not you, it’s always me / I’m chewing on Lincoln's licorice / “too tart and not at all sweet.” It packs Ramones-like fury but keeps a serious tone, never delving into the goofy humor many pop/punk artists employ.
“Slumber Party” has a distorted dissonance to the guitars that’s appropriately grungy and gets topped with droning, expressive vocals about making plans to kill the “cool girls” at a sleepover. It’s a muscular, sneering punk track that shows that Rain On Fridays means business. “Worry Bug” has a more upbeat sound that shows traces of classic 60s pop but tells the tale of someone worrying their life away. It feels like a happy song at first but the well-written lyrics take it in the other direction. Jesse Miller turns in a fine, understated guitar hook that also helps elevate the whole thing. If you dig smart, uncommon rock songs, Rain On Fridays just might be your new favorite band. This is the good stuff and you really should be listening.
LISTEN ON BANDCAMP:
https://rainonfridays.bandcamp.com
SPOTIFY:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1clbqsZIkv7ci3xQ9lmGPj
INSTAGRAM:
https://www.instagram.com/rainonfridays/
