A Massive Rock Record from SmartBlackKid

An album release from SmartBlackKid gives off a massive rock aesthetic with elements of pop, alternative, Indie, and more, all with this driving guitar tone that pushes the record through the roof and an almost relentless energy that gives the songs vibrancy that makes them addictive.

The reissued Change Reaction (13 Anniversary Edition) LP certainly doesn't waste much time diving right in with a pop-coated approach and almost futuristic feel with "Solar Flare", its first song.

This single is an amazing way to introduce the record because it does boast some of the great staples that the full album delivers.

You have that driving and edgy guitar tone, some great effects all throughout it that give it that almost futuristic feel, and high octane, vivacious energy that oozes artist presence, and it's not afraid to get heavy and still somehow remain catchy.

This track represents a lot about the record. You have those robust vocals that come through with a little bit of edginess. He belts out and isn't afraid to get a little raspy at times, and in true rock form, he's got vocal harmonies that come in and layer the song with awesome textures. The whole thing just delivers a huge atmosphere that you end up falling right into.

One of my favorite tracks on the record is called "Very Few Humans", which is one that certainly showcases some of that pop attribute and sensibility. This is totally danceable and reminds you of something that Prince might have pull off.

It's got that alternative edge but has a lot of color to it as well. As a matter of fact, this entire record comes through with an amazing blend of color and edginess all throughout it.

Some songs are heavier than others, but they all sit firmly under the pop-rock umbrella and do so with a flavorful aesthetic that takes old-school and fresh approaches and puts them together.

Of course, you have elements of punk rock flowing throughout the veins of this album as well, and songs like "Gimmie Love" deliver that with a punch.

I love the percussive elements of this record as well. The drumming feels like a cross between natural and electronic, and that's something that gives the record different aesthetics at times as well. You always have that thriving rock feel, but certain tracks give off a sort of classic pop undertone, and this is one of them.

As I said, it does absolutely give plenty of punk rock attitude, approach, and sound as well.

This is an example of a record that is created with fewer boundaries than you might be used to.

It sort of bends rock genres at free will and always delivers the pop tonality to go along with it, so songs become hooky, catchy, but also robust and heavy at the same time.

It's also an album that I suggest listening to all the way through from start to finish. One of the reasons for that is that there are plenty of surprises around its corners. You do have some diversity in the songwriting and tones of the instruments throughout the record, and some of this stuff does keep you on your toes.

It's a freeing record and it's got a youthful approach, plenty of fists-in-the-air sing-along sections, and this power-rock vibe that can hit like a sucker punch to the gut when it wants to.

Of course, I mean that in the best way possible. The record can absolutely be hard-hitting at times, and that's part of its point.

There's also a very spirited feel throughout the record. It boasts that uplifted energy a lot of the time, and that can be very infectious.

The closing track to the record is called 'Take Your Power", and this is a great example of exactly that.

It's a song that kind of tells you to get out of the way because there's no stopping him.

This is a semi-common theme throughout the record, and I love that he uses a lot of personality as songs unfold.

This is a record that absolutely represents part of the person that he is as a human, and for that to come through in a heavy rock record like this is amazing.

So, if you love heavy-handed power rock, then this record is 100% for you. Remember, it blends alternative, punk, and pop all throughout it, and does so in a seamless fashion.

This is a reissue of an album that was originally created and released in 2012 and was the first in a series of 10 albums he dropped per month throughout that year.

What blows my mind is how relevant the lyrics and sound are today.

This could have been written last month and still makes perfect sense.

So again, I suggest listening to this whole thing from start to finish, and don't be afraid to turn it up because that's how it was meant to be heard.

Take a deep dive into this one and don't forget where you heard it first.

BANDCAMP

INSTAGRAM