Roses & Revolutions Share ‘Midnight Monsters’ EP (Out Today)
October 15, 2021 BY Nettwerk
Indie-pop duo Roses & Revolutions has just unveiled Midnight Monsters, their gorgeous and expansive new EP, out today via Nettwerk Records.
The songs on Midnight Monsters were written in the middle of the night, in the strange hours before dawn when the world seems to stand still. There’s a quality of magical realism in each of the six tracks, where synth and analog sound mix to create something otherworldly. The album could only have been written this past year, as the world experienced a collective warping of time and place. Inspired by the dystopian quality of quarantine and the emotional demons that hit hardest at night, the band created a sweeping album that blurs fantasy and reality with a sense of timelessness and escape that unfolds like a short film noir.
“There’s a little town near us, and at night it was completely deserted, so we would go for a walk,” recalls Matt. “At the time, it was winter, and we would come home to our bedroom studio and just write and record.” Alyssa adds, “As the sun goes down, I get down, and it’s always been like that for me. But that also happens to be the time that Matt and I are most creative. So, we were capturing those midnight monsters and getting them into song.”
Glide Magazine premiered the EP’s final single “When The Moment’s Gone” this week. “‘When The Moment’s Gone’ is about the sickening realization that something really important has just passed you by,” the band explains. “It’s about reliving that feeling daily. You’re on repeat. This is the only song on the EP that we could ‘test out’ at live shows. The audience’s reaction and excitement pushed us to record it, and it was the first song we finished for the EP.”
The premiere of “When The Moment’s Gone” followed the release of the EP’s lead single “Lower Than Low,” featuring gorgeous, stacked harmonies that beautifully captured the utter stillness found in day’s earliest hours. Characterized by a sweeping nostalgia oscillating between impassioned bursts of rock and soft, acoustic storytelling, Roses & Revolutions invites us into a world of alternating realities through six spellbinding songs; an eerie landscape feels at once like a vast desert landscape and an intimate space among friends. Kicking off with “Feeling Like Myself,” which deals with the emotional fallout of not being able to experience the success of their last EP, the album also includes songs like “Coffee,” an upbeat track with the electropop artist Lostboycrow, that still manages to maintain a sense of intimacy and simplicity. There’s a thread of drama and storytelling throughout the EP. For example, “The End Of The World” speaks to the abandoned nature of places that used to be so full of life.
Called “spellbinding” by Atwood and “musical alchemists” by American Songwriter, Roses & Revolutions is comprised of longtime collaborators Alyssa Coco (vocals) and Matt Merritt (guitar). Based in Rochester, NY, they first connected through music, playing in various bands together until it became apparent that there was special creative alchemy between the two. They gained traction with their hit single “The Pines,” leading to 11 million+ streams, a headlining tour, and syncs from Netflix, ABC, NBC, and more. But when lockdown threatened to deflate the momentum they had built, the duo took the opportunity to explore a new way of making music, turning their dark experience into a thing of beauty.
After the night comes the morning sun, and while Roses & Revolutions explore darker territory with skill and nuance, they also radiate strength and hope. It’s a delicate dance between the dark and the light, but on Midnight Monsters, Roses & Revolutions have mastered it.
Roses & Revolutions have just announced a string of tour dates in March 2022, opening for the acclaimed, gold-selling singer/songwriter Joshua Radin. Stay tuned for additional updates.
Roses & Revolutions Tour Dates
* Opening for Joshua Radin
Tuesday, March 15 – New York, NY – City Winery
Friday, March 18 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere
Saturday, March 19 – Boston, MA – City Winery
Sunday, March 20 – Boston, MA – City Winery
Track List:
1. Feeling Like Myself
2. Lower Than Low
3. Coffee (feat. Lostboycrow)
4. End of the World
5. When the Moment’s Gone
6. I Remember Dancing
Midnight Monsters is available at all digital retailers, click here: https://randr.ffm.to/midnightmonsters.
