The Rascal Theorist - End Of Story

Hear The Track Here

Funny thing about Chicago's very own The Rascal Theorist, he is what is known in the business as a 'slow burn'. This is an artist and/or musician who people take more time to warm to, but become more faithful to that artist because their songs demand immersion before that can be really appreciated. I've reviewed four Rascal Theory tracks and I admit to a bit of surprise when I see them all rated as highly recommended. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, had I known then what I know now, this musician should have at least three Must Haves from me, not the least being for the awesome New Frequency which has grown into a monster of gigantic proportions. It should also, I hope, teach others like me that The Rascal Theorist is worth taking a little more time over. Even more so considering all previous tracks were of a pop and/or R&B bent and this one is billed as (I kid you not) Classic Rock.

Hold up there!!! Stop the bus!!!

Avalanche do classic rock, Rascal and his Muse Machine cohorts do not. That's the way it is. A bit like TV dinners, ya know? There again, if anyone is capable of morphing from r&b pop superstar to big haired, groupy draped rock god it would be this musician. Indeed if anything has been learned through the last few TRT releases it is that musical boundaries don't exist for him, his music wanders at will. Now, I don't know about you but I automatically associate the term classic rock as being drenched in guitars and , of course, classic rock has many flavours it's just that the guitar variety has come to dominate. Stylistically, End Of Story has more in common with the early Bay bands of the hippie period or - at a pinch - The Doors. The added (and essential) ingredient to all this is the musical nous and expertise that this musician and his supporting cast (Scorpio and Bobb e Vox on vocals, Ic.ON on drums and Ikhan on bass and guitars) bring to the party.

The thing that has endeared this particular group of musicians to Soundclick regulars is their outstanding level of professionalism, in production, performance and - most of all - in songwriting talent and ability. At this point New Frequency has become a staple in my household and looks to have the musical legs of a racehorse and I suspect that, in time, End Of Story will join it. Not the least reason being that this track is one of the best distillations of what classic rock really is, I even detected a hint of a sprightly Michael Phillip Jagger in there and if that isn't rock I don't know what is. So lesson number one, Rascal Theorist - not to be underestimated ever again and lesson number two, there is clever and there is clever. Then there is inspirational. I'll leave you to fill out the category.

MUST HAVE (better late than never). Extremely clever rock track.