When The Rooftops launched their debut album, Storm Season in mid 2006, Rave Magazine predicted it would be "mandatory Summer listening". When Summer came along, Triple J seemed to agree, with the first single Making Photographs enjoying regular airplay. Host Sarah Howells claims it as 'One of my favourite songs of this Summer…so cruisy and full of sunshine".
Perhaps the Brisbane sunshine does have something to do with their carefree, uplifting sound. Or maybe it's the informal Sunday night vibe at The Bowery, where they have held a year-long residency and built their impressive local following. In any case, they have developed a distinctive sound that has impressed audiences from The Press Club to The Columbian to The Troubador and nationally on Triple J and the Nightlife dukebox network.
The sound is catchy, soulful and undisputably groovy, manifesting in energetic and epic live performances that motivate dancefloors and good vibes. Fronted by vocalist and saxophonist Euan Gray, the original lineup of keys (Steve Anning) drums (Scott Nosworthy) and bass (McCoy Harvey) has now grown to include two more horns (Darren Skaar and Rafael Karlen). With all members coming from impressive jazz backgrounds, their shows build with cathartic intensity and spontanaity, yet their commitment to simple feel-good grooves never wavers.
Neither does their love for the art of the four-minute-studio-song, where Euan's 'fresh, bright and humourous lyrics' (Tsunami Magazine) expose a refreshing emotional depth amidst the stylish songwriting. This meaningfulness is not lost live, and has been captured on a double cd and DVD, Make Way, recorded at the launch. Always restless to write and record, the band is now preparing for a new EP, Better Days, to be released in the summer of 2007.
Meanwhile, as this summer draws to a close, the predictions keep coming;
'A band most definately on the rise…move over Cat Empire' (Rave)
'Gray's knack with words will entice people' (Time-Off)
'I can't wait to see where these boys take it' (Sarah Howells, Triple J).
The Rooftops are ready to take it to the next level, whatever the season.
Get Your Own! | View Slideshow
