Dez Rocket is a storied and experienced artist with multiple decades under his belt. He’s far from an old-school artist however, continually innovating and bringing to the fore new ideas and musical arrangements that converge multiple sub-genres of rock. Having appeared on stage and on set with Robin Zander of Cheap Trick, members of Blue Oyster Cult, actors Bruce Willis and Steven Seagal and much more, Rocket has stories to tell and musicality in droves. He is nowhere near standard, not conforming to any styles or ideas set before him. On Dezert Rocket, he lets his mind lose, exploring a confluence of grunge, alternative, synths, and traditional rock and pop. A little bit wacky, but well worth the experience.
Starting with ‘Lose’, Dez opens the album with a tune that’s based in funk and groove. It immediately throws you off guard, making you expect an entirely different style of music than what you might have initially assumed. Dez may look like your stereotyped and prototypical ‘standard’ rock star, yet he’s anything but that. The album is laden with experimentation, each track offering the listener a completely different lane to fall into. ‘Fooled You’ is even wackier, bringing elements of grunge and classic punk rock to the fore. And then, on ‘Shocktane’, Dez starts to bring his catchier, more solidified material. With just his guitar and his voice for nigh half a minute, he builds the tension slowly and anticipatingly. When the chorus hits, the song hits a state of bliss. The aggression goes back to a hundred on ‘You Caught Me’, a furious and relentless piece of punk that relies on a more raw and abrasive production style to deliver its energy.
Dez Rocket doesn’t sound like he belongs in 2021. His style of rock music is a bit all over the place, incorporating a myriad of different elements to merge into his uniquely raw, authentic and aggressive sound. If you like your rock with a bit of spunk, this is bound to have you excited.