The Greek Riots’ first EP, Cavalier, starts off with the old, melodic track Monroeville. It really sets the stage for what the listener is in for on the next three tracks. Describing a hostile world where it is easy to feel alone, Monroeville is a beautiful song in words and style about love to whomever is listening. Though this world is a rough place, at least I have you to share it with until the end. Or, as Greek Riots much more eloquently puts it, “I’ll hold you close as they break down the door… I’ll hold you close as we bleed out on the floor”. A wonderful start to an EP centering on passion love and how much worse the world would be if you had to face it alone.
Greek Riots has a mature sound that gives the contrast of their somewhat lovey-dovey subject matter (even if it is a dark lovey-dovey) satisfying. Combining more than just the classic four instrument lineup, the addition of piano, tambourine and other instruments really gives Greek Riots a unique sound that I can really only describe as fulfilling. Though at times their sound is poppy, it does not detract from their sound but rather adds to it. Combining all these different sounds together to form a smorgasbord that is… well… Greek Riots.
Cavalier next takes us to the track Sleeping Dogs which completely divorces itself from the fast, pop-rock feel of Monroeville and instead has a much more sincere, serene feel. This, of course, isn’t a mistake or a coincidence. The subject matter also distances itself from the previous tune. No longer is Greek Riots talking about how wonderful it is to be with so-and-so even though the world is dark and cold. Rather, the tables have turned in the subject-world relationship. Now the dark, scary world has somehow invaded, or seeped into this once picturesque relationship and is striving to tear it apart.
The story shift now highlights that the honeymoon is over and the relationship now has baggage, or “dogs”, to deal with. “Let the dogs outside/I’m bringing out the fight/I got a second chance/And you know I’m never gonna let it happen twice”.
The switch from happy to downright sad is a lot for the listener to get their head around. Not only have the sounds and subject matter changed, but even Jacques’ voice has taken on a sound of being tired. Fed up. Tired of fighting. Tired of arguing. Tired of asking “Do you ever get tired of putting holes in walls?” Longing for that storybook love that he found in Monroeville.
Greek Riots is a deviation from what one would classify as a run-of-the-mill indie band. There are too many different textures to their style that calling them simply an “indie band” is drastically misrepresenting. They have folk, rock, melodic pop, and so many other genres all stuffed into the five band members that to just try to simplify them by classifying them as “indie” is an injustice. Not to say I know how to classify them either. They are just Greek Riots.
The second-to-last song is called Consolation Prize. This track rides on the coattails of Sleeping Dogs in that the pain is still felt in the vocals and the music. It would appear that the subject did not end up getting that second chance he described in Sleeping Dogs and is now forced to “… sleep alone tonight”. One thing this track doesn’t do is give the listener’s feelings a rest. The love that was so prominent in Monroeville is now just a distant memory that is craved. The reality has finally sunk in that this is the situation that we will now find ourselves in. The choices we’ve made, the efforts we’re made (or haven’t made), we have no one to blame but ourselves. Unfortunately this is not exactly an uplifting message, but it is a true message. Greek Riots are realists and also unapologetic for telling the truth. Their truth. This is quite a growing rarity among musicians.
As Cavalier progresses, so does the intensity of the band. This doesn’t necessarily mean their volume, their tempo, etc… Intensity is a beast that can’t be heard or seen, it can only be felt. Some people feel it in their heart, some people feel it in the pit of their stomach, some people feel it behind their eyes. But wherever it is that you feel intensity, when you feel it you know exactly what it is. Jacques, Seamus, Duncan, Mack and Breandan’s intensity is undeniably increased from about 6 at the beginning of Cavalier to a 20 by the end of the EP.
The best synonym I can come up with for “intensity” isn’t a synonym at all, but I do think both words share enough characteristics to call it one. Intensity is honesty. If what you’re hearing isn’t delivered as the song, speech, lecture with an adequate intensity to compliment said song, speech or lecture, then the problem delivering it probably doesn’t believe it. And if they don’t believe it, the listener will not. Greek Riots’ intensity never wavers and thus, their honesty is unquestionable. The final song on Cavalier is called Rolling Off (The Windshield). Within the first two seconds, you will be excited to know that it seems the morose past of the last two tracks is one of those distant memories. The piano and drums are in full swing and ready to deliver the poppy, confident song akin to the one we found in Monroeville.
Although the outcome of Cavalier’s story is still somewhat bleak, the message of “so be it” is somehow comforting. "Rolling off the hood of a car/Makes you wonder just exactly who you are”. After confronting this thing, this obstacle, this certainty that became a lie, this love that became hate, this era that ceased to exist, it turns out it’s not all bad. Not only does it make you think, but it makes you “wonder”. And wonder is really all we have in left in this world isn’t it? Just because something doesn’t work out the way we want it to, that doesn’t mean we should give up. We need to pick ourselves up and say “Oh well. That sucked. Well what’s next?”
Greek Riots wold a story in Cavalier that may not be uplifting or happy-go-lucky, but it is certainly encouraging. It urges the listener to learn from themselves. To stop looking at the past and trying to live there and instead use the past to become stronger than before. This philosophy also just so happens to be the story of Greek Riots (coincidence?) as they explain in their bio, “[We] are of the opinion that what is dead may never die, but rises harder and stronger”.
I’m not sure how to classify Greek Riots, but what I do know is that they are confident and certainly not afraid to speak their mind lyrically and musically. It is important to not go into Cavalier expecting a run-of-the-mill indie band because you will be sorely disappointed. Greek Riots is so much more, and there is only more of them to come.
Links to everything Greek Riots here!
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Cavalier will be released November 8th @ The cavern, with Special Guests Solhounds and Somebody Language. Doors at 9 PM cover is 7$. More details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1468551966748773/
greekriots.bandcamp.com is where you can download the single Monroeville. It's "pay what you want".
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1468551966748773/
Twitter: twitter.com/greekriots1
Instagram: instagram.com/greekriots
- Justin
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