Ricky Rochelle has a new album coming out next month, and my reaction to an advance listen was simply, "Wow!" I won't spoil too much in advance of the release, but I can tell you that Ricky's new single "Head Voice" is a big part of why I love this record so much. Here's a guy who's beloved in the pop-punk scene. And somehow he has managed to expand his musical style and influences while still retaining the qualities that have long made him such an appealing songwriter and vocalist. That whole "It's still pop-punk, but it's not still pop-punk" approach is hard for a lot of bands and artists to navigate. But for Ricky Rochelle, it has been a seamless progression. Lyrically, "Head Voice" reflects on some pretty heavy stuff. It's a song about the struggle to maintain one's mental health when there are so many dark things swirling in your brain that just won't go away. But this song is no bummer. Ricky's knack for being relatable really comes through here. You hear him singing with tremendous openness about how all these troubling thoughts make it hard to find inner peace or even sleep at night, and it's guaranteed that you either relate personally or are very close to someone who does. And in this modern world full of anxieties and distractions, our head voices have never been louder. Musically, this song is indicative of Ricky's current musical direction. It's fundamentally a pop song with a big hooky chorus. But it's quite sophisticated in composition, and it embraces more modern influences than are typical for pop-punk. This is truly a song for these times, and it's a fantastic piece of work from a songwriter who just keeps getting better. Check out the music video which just premiered today!
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