ALBUM REVIEW: Dream Machine: The Lucid Edition – Des Rocs

Rock revivalist from New York City, DES ROCS has announced the extended edition of his album, Dream Machine, titled Dream Machine: The Lucid Edition.

Dream Machine is the follow-up to his debut album A Real Good Person In A Real Bad Place. Co-Produced by DES ROCS mastermind himself Danny Rocco, if there was any recent release that best echoed a trip through the ages it would be this.

The deluxe album includes six additional tracks, including the reimagined In The Night featuring UNDEROATH. It also has live variants of In The Night and Hold On. Not forgetting three brand new tracks: Love And A Smoking Gun, Trauma Loop, and The Way It Has To Be.

The inclusion of live versions of songs immerses the listener in everything DES ROCS encompasses while also proving his voice is even more powerful in person. The authenticity of these tracks shines through with the live band and voices singing/cheering from the crowd. All the emotions in the lyrics come to the forefront as the listener gets to hear an unadulterated version of these songs, it’s beautiful.

The initial release of Dream Machine has been described as ‘- a bolt of energy coursing through the glory days of rock, metal, and grunge, united within his signature “bedroom arena rock” sound.’ Which sums it up perfectly. Influences from THIN LIZZY, AEROSMITH, QUEEN, MUSE and so many more can be heard from beginning to end. Tracks like Bad Blood exude the essence of athematic rock from the 60s and 70s while incorporating modern music techniques.

But, Love And A Smoking Gun will bring the listener right into the 2020s. Its racing guitars and orchestral elements, sprinkled with DES ROCS own flare. Structurally it’s not the type of album a listener can guess what will come next, nor is it building to its finale track, but this is not a point against it. The shift in style from song to song keeps ears pricked to attention.

The new addition to the record Trauma Loop sucks the listener in straight away with a grungey distorted loop setting the tone for the song. That sense of being trapped in a constant loop is continued as the riff at the start is revisited in the song. However, halfway through strings are introduced, inviting levity, intensity and the prospect that there is an escape of the loop. Alas, the song reverts to a heavier rendition of the intro loop. The song is jarring, but in the sense it’s so emotive the listener can’t help but feel what the DES ROCS is trying to get across with it. Tracks like this emphasise the skills as a songwriter Rocco has. That ability to make someone feel borderline uncomfortable, while still being completely captivated by a song.

Whereas The Way It Has To Be is more tentative, opens slowly, and builds into the chorus. Again this track is loaded with emotion using the distortion to fuel the tone of the track. Danny Rocco’s vocals throughout the album are a testament to him, the range displayed and techniques used it’s a wonder how it’s the same person singing the whole way through.

Rating: 7/10

Dream Machine: The Lucid Edition is out now via Sumerian Records. 

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