Austin Sound

From the opening notes of Osaka Cocka Rocka, The Rockland Eagle’s modus operandi brings to mind the rock giants of yesteryear - think AC/DC meets Motorhead, with all the catchiness of Cheap Trick. It is a record of fist-full-of-beer-in-the-air arena rock, of shredding solos, of tight rock hooks, of high-energy riffage, of huge choruses. If imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery, then every song on this record is both a parody of, and a tribute to, rock and roll. But I must confess: in the beginning I missed the joke.

At first listen, it can seem like unoriginal, derivative, immature and formulaic schlock rock. Sometimes, however, first listens can be deceiving. The problem, for those unfamiliar with the Rockland Eagles over-the-top live shows, is that the band plays the cock rock card so well, that it is sometimes hard to tell when they are joking and when they are not.

On a purely musical level, the record is bullet-proof - with a dynamic range that shifts from the laid back not-quite-monster-ballad (but close) of “The French Connection”, to the fiercely Sabbath-esque “Fire The Guns”, to the AC/DC riffage of “Nose For Hollywood” (complete with fake crowd noise). The songs on Osaka Cocka Rocka never sound boring or stale; the band manages to keep things rhythmic, melodic and (most of all) anthemic.

The self-titled opening track starts with a piano line (strangely reminiscent of the Friday The 13th theme) before launching into a growley-voiced tribute to rock stardom, name-dropping The New York Dolls, The Ramones, and The Stones along the way. This song, like most on the record, roars as loudly as any arena-rock colossus GNR or Kiss ever released. “The French Connection,” the record’s aforementioned third track, takes a more toned down approach and is much better for it. The song has a Detroit-Rock feel but with the easy vibe of a Tom Petty song, and a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek humor (with lyrics like “Cock Rock rules where Indie Rock stood” and “All he ever wanted was a Rock And Roll Band / 25 picks in the microphone stand”).

Much of this kind of humor is lost without the context of a live performance (think choreographed stage moves, oh-faces, chest-hair - the whole bit). The Rockland Eagles are (rightfully) hyped as a “must-see” live band, and taking in a show will make the listener appreciate the record more fully. But if you don’t make the mistake of over-analyzing the album (the record is named Osaka Cocka Rocka after all) you will realize it doesn’t really matter whether the band is joking or not. In spite of all possible criticism, this record is loud, energetic, and fun. In the end, isn’t that what rock-and-roll is all about?