Rock Company 2016

Organic rock ‘n’ rollers from Slovenia get their kicks in search of identity.

Making their international debut, this quartet may careen to occasional heaviness, but the band’s instincts are in the right place when progressive elements seep into their heady mix of genres. It’s hard not to attract the listener’s attention when your debut is kicked off with a ballad, as the uplift of “Don’t Give Up” builds a tension to defer a fine rifferama which will keep the momentum till the finale. There’s a lot of AOR hooks on offer, although cliches on vibrant tracks like “Morning” are handled with grace, and “Sunlight Hour” has lyricism married to attack and orchestral drama to deliciously rough edge.

As for rock ‘n’ roll, frivolity rears its head on the unhurried “Lazy Crazy Thing” and “Good Trade” whose licks whisk the handclaps-abetted beats to a dancefloor, while the synthesizers give “Come To Me” a layer of cosmic, rather than romantic, consciousness. Breaking the overall retro mold, the title cut introduces a contemporary buzz to the mix, yet “Still Dreaming” signs off with a slow gratitude in the most traditional way, so even though the album isn’t groundbreaking, the ensemble stand their ground with swagger which will secure them place in many a heart.

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