Soulful Americana Artist David Rosales Releases 'REVIVE,' Today
SOULFUL AMERICANA ARTIST
DAVID ROSALES
RELEASES SOPHOMORE FULL-LENGTH ALBUM
REVIVE
RECORD RELEASE SHOW
AT THE WAYFARER IN COSTA MESA, CA
SATURDAY, JULY 23
Above: ‘REVIVE’ album artwork
“The 12-song LP [REVIVE] has consistency & virtuosity. Even the lyrics have a warm lingering embrace of the South. It isn’t reliant on blues, country, honky-tonk, or Southern California singer-songwriter density but a hybrid with the added soulful genuine touch…It’s a joyous experience, a dazzling collection of why it’s good to be alive.”
-- John Apice, Americana Highways, July 21, 2022
NASHVILLE, TN (July 22, 2022) — Los Angeles-based Americana artist, David Rosales has released his eclectic 12-track sophomore LP — REVIVE — today. Rooted in Americana and bathing in West Coast sunshine, Rosales aims to shed some light and happiness during this unprecedented time. “Strange times need good vibes,” says Rosales. “I’m ready to give the world a much needed dose of positivity.”
Stream / Download REVIVE here.
Following his acclaimed 2018 debut album, Brave Ones, Rosales settled into MAPS Studios in Fullerton, CA to record REVIVE in February of 2020 with his friend, co-producer and touring drummer, Mike Willson. With the addition of a 'Memphis Horns' style brass section to his group of backing musicians, Rosales makes it clear that his sound has grown since the release of Brave Ones.
“I had wanted to keep the album's production within my circle. It had to feel worn in and comfortable,” explains Rosales. “Mike and I had spent countless hours touring on the road and surfing, discussing a sound and a vibe that needed to be captured. I leaned on the rich, soulful influence of Al Green, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke throughout my writing process. I found that it really fits where I am, what I feel this world needs, and how I'm engaging musically with the healing and unity that I want to bring with my music.”
The majority of tracking was completed during a two week session and with REVIVE finished, Rosales and his Band of Scoundrels were set to hit the ground running in 2020 with tours planned both domestically and abroad. Then, COVID and the lockdown hit.
“We could see it coming across the globe in our Twitter feeds from Europe to the East Coast and then as it traveled across the country,” says Rosales. “We finished recording the day before California locked down in March. It was a complete coincidence that the schedule lined up as it did and I feel fortunate to have captured the magic of this album during pre-COVID times.”
REVIVE was designed to flourish in the vinyl format with each side of the LP sequenced in such a way to have a beginning, middle and end. Side A kicks off with the upbeat ear-candy of “Ask Her to Dance” — a song that jumps out of the speakers and right into the summer Kool-Aid of love. It's a tune that begs you to dance the night away with a fresh and contemporary vibe, that’s equal parts Sam Cooke's “Good Times” flair and Counting Crows’ “Accidentally in Love.” Flip the record over, and drop the stylus on Side B for “Down the Line,” which immediately lures the listener in close with Rosales’ whiskey soaked resonance before he and his Band of Scoundrels explode into a dynamic blues rock laden anthem fit for a highway roadhouse.The upbeat release of REVIVE’s lead single, “Turn It Around,” is paired with a music video that features ABC's The Ultimate Surfer contestants and pro-boarders, Malia Ward and Juli Hernandez, surfing the streets of Los Angeles and inspiring the next generation of strong female athletes. The album's second single “Spoonful” opens up the sonic palate even wider — hitting with a melodic backing of brassy horns — giving the listener a bona fide sense of the sound to come. Mix in the funky blues groove of “Some People” and the beachy vibes of “Ask Her To Dance,” and you have yourself an album that is sure to reverberate both far and wide.
Above: David Rosales; credit: Nick Setchell
In conjunction with REVIVE's release, David Rosales & His Band of Scoundrels have been on the road, offering an uplifting and spirited live performance — including his record release show Saturday, July 23 at The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa, CA — a sound that pairs well with contemporaries they have shared the stage with such as Ben Harper, Brandi Carlile, Matt Costa, The White Buffalo, Donavon Frankenreiter, Pokey LaFarge and Steep Canyon Rangers.
REVIVE track listing:
“Ask Her To Dance”
“Spoonful”
“Turn It Around”
“Some People”
“Joyride”
“Goodbye Paradise”
“Down the Line”
“Beautiful Waste”
“Every Now N' Then I Could Use A Friend”
“Wine Country”
“Bride & Groom”
“My Love”
SOME EARLY PRAISE:
“The song [‘Spoonful’] chronicles the journey of hope for more from life, until after some darkness it finally happens: a spoonful of love. Such a lovely metaphor for life.”
-- Melissa Clarke, Americana Highways, April 20, 2022
“David Rosales delivers a fun, easygoing tune [‘Ask Her to Dance’]…the light-hearted and carefree song is a reminder to us all to live in the moment and not take the little joys of life for granted.”
-- Matt Wickstrom, The Boot, May 26, 2022
“David Rosales and his terrific band know how to generate a consistently full sound and sustain a good-time vibe.”
-- Mark Nardone, Music Connection Magazine, July 2022 Print Issue
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