Single Review: Rolla - No Violence/Show Me
Five-man Mancunian band ROLLA bring fire and intensity to their latest release ‘No Violence/Show Me’. The opening track stands as the pacemaker for the band’s two-part digital album, being coupled with the electric march brought by ‘Show Me’. The former, however, is a hair-raising mantra, with lyrics projecting the energetic image of a pre-fight buzz.
The song kicks off with a thick repetitive baseline, a classic hard rock sound reminiscent of Zeppelin's ‘Whole Lotta Love’, before steering into a screeching guitar riff. With a fast tempo held by the percussion, the melody is kept tight and dynamic. It evokes the turmoil of being in a state of constant movement, yet confined to a small, fixed place; deafeningly claustrophobic.
Such a sentiment is compounded by the almost jaded lyricism and long, sonorous vocals. “Don’t they know he’s crazy/ losing his mind”, “it’s a long story/but it’s how I’ll make you see”, so the chorus goes. The theme the song grasps upon is that of being stuck on repeat, the story of a lost boy who lives from one cheap thrill to another just to pass the time. As the song goes on, the voice grows more desperate and agitated, moaning across to the listener that this guy, who says he’s fine, really needs your help.
Some may argue that this tune borrows distinctively from Britpop aesthetics in terms of its composition and production, but it is clear that something more nuanced and layered is being represented here. ‘Show Me’ is much more of a rumbling slow-burner and definitely owes a great deal to the Gallagher brothers. It is equally overpowering but is perhaps less interesting than ‘No Violence’. The lyrics and garage-style guitar on both tracks suggest more punk undertones, with the story of the two-track EP lamenting life in a permanent rock and hard place mode.
‘No Violence’ paired with the explosion of ‘Show Me’, makes for hard-hitting listening. Whatever your taste or vintage, ROLLA is a band you should be looking out for.
Words: Aniqah F. Majid