David Rokos – This is Landing (Album Review)

Today’s review features This Is Landing, the new album by David Rokos. David released his last album, “When You Were Her” on Rogers Park Records nine years ago in 2016. David remarks, in that time, “the world has certainly changed, and so have I.” He notes that he has moved from being a “broken-hearted lonely guy in his mid-20s on the last record, to being a married, happy guy in his mid-30s” with “a more positive outlook on life.”

Having a more stable life has resulted in Rokos having more time and opportunities to record. Rokos recorded the drums and bass for this new album at Echo Mill Chicago. He recorded guitar and vocals at Gravity Studios Chicago, a studio that has housed Chicago legends like Smashing Pumpkins and Fall Out Boy. For the two acoustic songs on the album, Rokos went to The Village Studios in Los Angeles, where Tom Petty recorded. “I like to think Tom would be proud,” Rokos says, “but more likely he’d just be annoyed that I’m ripping him off.”

This Is Landing is “filled with big drums, big hooks, and big production.” Rokos also says that the new album, like his recent Covid-era singles, has a “more upbeat style” and “a (slightly) more positive outlook on life.” He describes songs like “What a Memory” and “Passport Photography” as telling “stories of his travels and his relationships.” But he wants us to know that “the album is not all fluff,” noting that songs like “Play Sober” and “No Fighting in the War Room” have a much harder edge and describe his “relationship with alcohol and mental health in a way that feels much more private than anything in my back catalogue.”

So let’s have a listen …

The album kicks off with the song What a Memory. To my surprise, after reading his bio, this song is very uptempo, energetic, and definitely pop-punk. It sounds like Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar, We’re Goin Down.” I love the tone and aggression of the guitars, ala Green Day, and the drums. Very tight baseline. The vocals are mixed to rise above the mix. Very nice arrangement, I’m digging the middle bridge. The band screams “hey” in response to the lead singer, which reminds me of The Proclaimers.

No Fighting in the War Room starts with almost a Christmas carol-type melody being played on the lead guitar. “In brand new mirrors, I can see my face.” The song is mid-tempo, a little bit slower than the first track, but has the same nice crunchy guitars, but mixed a little less loudly in the mix.

Play Sober starts with the line “I can play sober pretty well”, which turns out to be the chorus of the song. I love the thumping bass line in this song. There’s a breakdown with nothing but bass and drums, which highlights the bass player’s talent. Another pop-punk song. And very clever lyrics/vocals.

Update from the Coast again reminds me of the bands I previously mentioned. I love the vocal effect in this song and the crunch of the guitars. “I can watch the world, collapse in the waves.” The song mellows, then hits hard, a characteristic of the pop-punk genre. I’m finding that the lyrics are very well-written, interesting to listen to Rokos’ going through his life.

Alone Los Angeles “nothing really glitters anymore”. This is an acoustic guitar song, but it fits right in with the other full-band material on this album.

Passport Photography features a keyboard in the intro, with the same pop-punk electric guitars driving the song. The writing on this album is very consistent. Clever arrangements and lyrics. Lots of unexpected twists.

Building Bridges starts off with the keyboard and guitar playing the same riff, then drops into the first verse with more crunchy guitars. I like how the vocals are mixed differently in the second verse, then go back to normal when the chorus hits. “Take in the moment, we won’t be here again.”

Lasting Impression. This song has a driving single-note guitar riff rhythm. With an ethereal keyboard in the background. “I never wanted this to be my lasting impression” with “crooked spines that go nowhere.” The vocals sound really nice on this track.

The production and mixing on this album is really tight. Exceedingly well-done. This is one of the best pop-punk albums I’ve heard recently.

If Brains Were Dynamite starts off with a quirky riff over a full, driven pop-punk guitar chord riff. I like how the song stops just before the chorus. The lyric writing of Rokos is very clever and draws you into these songs. Very nice lead guitar solo after the second verse/chorus, then back into the chorus. And then it ends on the same quirky guitar riff that started the song.

My Apologies is the second acoustic guitar song on the album. “This is my apology”, still in the same pop-punk genre, just acoustic. The guitar has a big sound, and there’s a nice touch of reverb on the vocals to add to the vibe. “I absorb the sound.” I like how the instrumentation becomes more stark at the end of the song, with the vocals, “it don’t mean a thing, unless you’re here with me.”

SCORE/Excellent: This album was surprising. I love it. Very pop-punk with clever song arrangements and lyrics that draw you into the songs. Some very nice, epic, radio-friendly songs that will have you dancing in the moonlight. Go pick this album up today! Much love, Beth

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

Facebook
Instagram
Website