Roses Are Red's previous full-length, Conversations was a semi-interesting release that sounded fresh but was hurt by a majority of the songs running together. Their followup, What Became of Me, has started to gather a lot of hype, with AP claiming it as one of the âMost Anticipated Releases' of 2006. So with all the hype going into this release, is it really worth it?
Hell yes.
I didn't expect to be blown away by What Became of Me. The opening track "These Days" comes out of the gates with a strong mix of catchy rock verses and killer choruses with unforgettable sing-alongs. The guitar work by Tom Zenns and Shaun Murphy, which is a mix of distorted rock guitars infused with a truckload of hooks, is the perfect backdrop for Vincent Minervino's vocals. Minervino's emotion throughout the album is dead on and he easily hits every note every time.
"Failure" may be one of the best songs I've heard this year. The song is absolutely loaded with hooks and the lyrics are something I can easily relate to: "I feel this pressure weighing down, weighing down on me / I can't complete a thought, it's hard to breathe, it keeps me awake / I'm walking fearfully through every day, through every place, but I I just can not turn away / Failing in conversation, but I wanted you to show me."
On "Giving It All Tonight," Roses Are Red sound like what Matchbook Romance should have sounded like on their last album if they hadn't abandoned their solid foundation to create one of the year's dullest releases. This song is easily one that I can guarantee will get written down in someone's journal, as once again the lyrics are easy to relate to and are top notch. "The Last Time" is the standout track, with the outstanding emotional singing of "so, so long my wishing well / you found me in this same hell / so, so long my sweetest day / you take the pain away" leading into the solo during the bridge. The rest of the album continues to blend in emotional lyrics with loads of hooks and even features some keys, acoustic guitars and strings to keep it fresh.
Roses Are Red's second full-length on Trustkill Records is one hell of a surprise and easily one of the year's best in this genre. Brian McTernan's production here is right on the money and lets Roses Are Red fully blossom into their best form. What Became of Me is one of the catchiest releases of the year and something that will easily relate to the kids today.
Here's to Roses Are Red becoming the next big thing.