Review: “Not Down For Long” by Grosh

Rock has been done in every possible way since its inception, with hundreds of sub-genres sprouting from it. So how do you do rock right? Grosh has figured out the answer to that question with their newest album, Not Down For Long. 

The sophomore album from western New York rock band, Grosh, is bringing modern rock with a twist, and this release seems to be a hit with its eccentric mix of genres that are sure to excite any rock fan. Still, those who are loyal to the classics will be glad to hear the band’s references to the classic sounds, ideas, and chords that make rock so beloved.  

Track Review

The third track on the album, “Seen but Not Heard,” was the first track that stuck out to me, with its use of dissonant and almost unsettling chords. It seemed like the song was made to make the listener feel a little uncomfortable in order to really drive the message home, which worked. Even with the unique chords, this song was not ugly or lacking in beauty, as the lyrics and instrumentation are what really brought out the special parts of this song. 

“On the Patio” is an important piece of the puzzle that is this album. As the fifth track, this song starts out with a softer, ballad-like tune to take a well-needed break from the heavy rock of the previous four songs. After a while, the tempo picks up to give the song a fun and bouncy vibe. The duality of this track makes it a fun break without feeling as though the mood shifted too quickly.

My favorite track on the album was by far “Mr. Rogers.” This song infuses funk into the band’s rock sound, and really accomplishes the eclectic vibe the band was going for with this album. The horns and catchy chorus make this song great to dance to, while the subject matter is wholesome, harkening back to the legendary children’s TV figure, Fred Rogers. This song managed to keep the rock feel that is the backbone of the band while still doing something new and exciting to spice up the album. 

Verdict

Not Down For Long combines timeless elements of rock with new ideas, styles, and twists to make rock fun again rather than repetitive. Megan Brown’s strong vocals remind me of many of the female rock powerhouses of the 1980s, and the instrumentation of the album is definitely in keeping with classic rock styles while still being unique enough to not seem like just a cover band trying their hand at original music.  

My only critique with this album was the length of some of the songs. While the shortest track clocks in at 3:14, the longest track is twice that long. While I still enjoyed the longer songs, I occasionally thought that they could have cut them off at an earlier point to make the song easier to listen to. Still, I can’t complain too much about the length of the songs, as all of the music was enjoyable. 

Some of my favorite parts of the album were the way that the band plays with rhythms. It shows they’re not afraid to take classic ideas and elements from rock while adding something new and subversive to their music. Additionally, all of the features on the album are phenomenal and truly add new and exciting elements to each track. All of the guest artists can be found in the press release for the album, which is linked here. 

Grosh have put out a well produced album with many of the things that make rock great within it, and they did all this while adding in new and exciting themes to keep their audience on their toes. This album left me wanting more of their music, and I would certainly recommend our readers give it a listen.