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Rogue Forty: Underdogs
[West West Side]

When I think of someone really getting down with a piano, I often have a thought of a group of friends, half drunk, gathered around the big instrument, yelling out some old classic songs.  Ah, these are happy times.  But really, most piano rock I hear these days isnt happy at all, as the gleeful, hopping piano would like you to think.  The tunes often reflect on how things went wrong, never started out well in the first place, or how they were just plain destined to fail.

Rogue Forty falls right in line with this picture.  With an album title like Underdogs, a picture on the CD of a stick-figure trying to hold up a piano (that hes either pushing or just hoping it wont come crashing down on him), and an opening song called Losers Mantra, well, what can one expect?  This dark and somewhat depressed piano rock doesnt hide behind anything.  They spell it right out for all to see but with a rockin piano beat that will make you want to get up and move your feet. 

To compare these guys to Ben Folds Five is not a bad thing.  The way Andrew Wood rocks out on the piano while amazing harmonies weave in and out are very reminiscent of The Five.  But dont be mistaken, Rogue Forty is not a copy.  The trio builds on what works and adds in some instrumental experimentation, giving the music what I would describe as a New York twist in style.  There are some great songs on this album, and if you like piano rock, you should definitely check it out. These guys are likely to go as far as they want to and I look forward to hearing what they do next. 

This album can be purchased at Rogue Forty Official Website

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