Written out of frustration during one of the most intense periods of the pandemic, The Rod Moore Band’s latest single, “You Won’t Bring Me Down”, is an anthemic and complex piece of music that’s pumped full of adrenaline.
The Rod Moore Band, led by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Rod Moore, is a Vancouver-based funk-pop collective. The band’s recording sessions are often accompanied by local graduate students, displaying their unique musical arrangement. Releasing his first solo album in 2003, Moore is now on a quest to blur the genre barriers and bring forth an original, hard-to-define sound.
Earning his stage and studio chops by playing instrumental surf guitar music, Moore eventually placed himself center-stage and made his vocal debut with the 2018 You Never Know If You Never Try EP. 2020 allowed for him to revisit the songs he had suspended some years prior, amassing to create the album 7635 South West Boulevard. The band’s third release, the Lockdown EP, explores themes that the world has experienced over the course of the past year. This EP was was recorded at Vancouver’s HippoSonic Recording Studio, the former home of the Legendary Little Mountain Studios.
“You Won’t Bring Me Down”, released just last month, is an 80s-influenced blend of electro-funk, new wave pop, and rock.
A staccato bass line, rhythmic electric piano, and an incredibly familiar-sounding leading guitar riff work in syncopation to create a bold, impeccably mastered track. “I am a big John Carpenter fan, and the music he writes for his movies is always very unique, quirky and memorable,” Moore says. “This song definitely carried some of that inspiration, which shows strongest in the opening, single tone riff. I recorded many of the core elements at home in my office, including the noisy guitar solo in the bridge.”
Exploring a variety of genres and promoting a message of defiance and perseverance, “You Won’t Bring Me Down” is catchy, fun, and jam-packed with all the ingredients of a new wave rock hit.
