Rebel Kicks Release “Past Life” and Announce NYC Show

Anticipation is building for Rebel Kicks’ music enthusiasts, especially with their forthcoming performance at The Cutting Room in NYC this Friday, November 3rd at 3:30pm, marking a significant milestone as their biggest NYC show to date. While this upcoming live show is much awaited, their new release sets the stage.

Rebel Kicks’ forthcoming EP release somewhere.in.between promises to be a special release based on the quality of a single such as “Past Life.” The New York City unit has synthesized a short but varied list of musical strengths into an unified voice that has an appealing surface as well as significant depth. Casual and keen-eared listeners alike won’t notice any holes in the band’s arrangement. This young outfit immediately lays down the band and song’s character within seconds and sounds fresh despite its obvious debts.

It bears clear influences from late 20^th century-early 21st-century pop rock, and Brit-pop as well, and their focus on establishing an early level of vocal excellence makes for a great listening experience. The steady yet irresistible pacing of “Past Life” gives the cut a strong heartbeat and that accentuates the massed passions of the band’s multiple voices. You must admire Rebel Kicks’ insistence on a diverse vocal approach. It definitely pays off big with this track.

Their talent for solid song construction is obvious with a first listen. The verses complement the chorus and transitions between each disparate passage never hit a hiccup. “Past Life” has an incandescent ebullience that even casual listeners will hear with a first listen and the sound doesn’t wear on you with multiple passes. Rebel Kicks’ strength of presentation leaps out at you from the beginning.

It’s uncommon for such a young band to boast an identifiable style already. Surging, assertive, yet light on its feet, “Past Life” isn’t a likely accurate measure of the band’s range, but the single does an excellent job of balancing their gifts for pop physicality and a slight flex of rock muscle. It’s a winning performance from the first time you hear it, but it’s tantalizing to imagine how Rebel Kicks will continue expanding on its potential with future releases.

It promises, as well, to readily translate over into a live setting. There’s nothing that Rebel Kicks tries over the course of “Past Life” that they can’t reproduce in concert. It’s where, in the end, the song will live or die, and it’s built for success. It’s a single that pulls off the impressive feat of sparking with the welcome fire of a hungry young band and bursting forth with the self-confidence of veteran musicians playing at the peak of their skill.

It’s easy to expect everyone will hear their music. Time will tell, however, as we don’t always live in a meritocracy. All of the necessary elements are here for one of the most successful stylistic marriages in recent years as Rebel Kicks discovers with “Past Life” a potent balance between rock and pop sensibilities. Moreover, it’s one of a kind in a real way without ever sounding alien to our ears.

We can expect to be hearing more from this talented young band in the coming years. For all of its entrancing shine, Rebel Kicks’ “Past Life” is the work of a precocious band near the beginning of their journey rather than further on when they cement the songs that will one day define them. “Past Life”, however, is a brilliant mile marker along the way. 

Nicole Killian