Rollo Time
Downers Grove, Illinois, United States
Music
Press
When we hear the opening chords of “You Can Talk.” it’s clear that Rollo Time has changed from its debut. It’s a good single, with the right amount of rock bluster in the chorus. But there is less stylistic experimenting and more of a commercial rock sound here. The exception is “Eyman Prison,” a delightful standout with a 10cc like lyrical quality.
The hard guitar riffs make the pop compositions stand out in some cases, like in “Where Is Mine” with its odd backing sound effects. Another gem is the hook laden riffs and harmonies on “I Can’t Believe This Day.” Like a mix of Joey Sykes and Marillion with its shambling rock melodies, the eccentricities of the songs will keep you paying attention, but it loses steam by the albums end. However there is enough good music to make it worth repeat listens, so give it a try.
- Powerpopaholic Blog
It's Rollo Time again, as this Chicago-area band returns with the followup to their 2007 self-titled debut. Once again, they show a great facility for melding classic rock and power pop, and that's apparent right off the bat with "You Can Talk" and "Sick and Tired", a pair of tracks that will appeal to fans of bands like The Shazam and Superdrag. "Eyman Prison" tells the story of a frustrated prisoner (of a real Arizona prison) to a power pop beat, while the midtempo janglers "Madeline Says" and "I Can't Believe This Day" are also standouts.
- Absolute Powerpop Blogspot
Sophomore effort by this Chicago (Downer’s Grove, actually) band led by the talents of Jon Raleigh who never met a Beatles song he didn’t like. The songs/tempos vary but most are mid-tempo and hooky with nods to the Fab Four as well as others more recent stuff (I hear some Pulp in there, I swear). “Sick and Tired” is my fave here but there’s plenty to like, really. www.rollotime.com - Daggerzine
Downers Grove-based Rollo Time, brainchild of singer/songwriter Jon Raleigh, carry on a tradition of smart Chicago power-pop blueprinted by bands like Material Issue and Green. Rollo Time occasionally tosses in more interesting elements of harder-rocking, obscure Brit-pop bands like The Boo Radleys and Thurman on Victims Of The Crown, their sophomore effort, recorded at Chicago’s Gravity Studios. As true connoisseurs of this genre, the band sound better when they stay away from Raspberries-style sugary pop overdoses. Harder-edged tracks like “Travel The World,” and “On The Ground” show Rollo Time at their power-pop best.
- Illinois Entertainer
Rollo Time is the best power pop CD that I have heard in a very long time. With the first song “Maintenance Free” is my favorite on this album, with the influences of Shazam and Superdrag… if you are a fan of either of these bands you will want to take a listen.
“Float Down the River” is a beat driven song that has your toes tapping and the melody rolling around your brain for some time after… all around a great album… not a bad track here. This is a power pop band that screams “Indie Pop” (meaning… this is heads above anything that we have heard before this great music) which in my book makes this band one of my favorites for 2009!!…
Fans of Superdrag, Shazam, will love this CD.
Thanks Jon! I can’t get the tunes out of my head!
- Indienink.com
This labor of love by Jon Raleigh is a great album for fans of classic rock and roll. "Rollo Time" draws it's power pop influences from some great 70s bands, like Bad Company, Led Zepplin, Alice Cooper and proto-metal bands like Black Sabbath. The first song "Maintenance Time" is the poppiest of the bunch and resembles Matthew Sweet and The Shazam. After this the songs get a bit heavier with a strong rhythm section, which is powered their riffs to perfection. "Float down the River" uses this beat driven rhythm to plow the song into your ear, much like a Weezer tune. "Travel the World" is my favorite tune on the album, it has just the right amount of guitar crunch and harmonies with a great hook in the chorus. Is it any wonder that both Rollo Time and Cheap Trick are both from Illinois? The next tune "Don't" flirts with that proto-metal sound, and "Cut Me To the Quick" sounds like a lost track from the band, Free with a chorus that morphs into Todd Rundgren's Utopia. I love this melding of styles, and it's also a standout track with great guitar solo. Also notable is the very Zepplin-like ballad "Teach to Grow" with multi-tracking guitars weaving some magic here. Although the melody didn't thrill me, the lyrics impressed me in "Moth and Butterfly" the albums closer. For those who love meat-and-potatoes power pop, it's time for "Rollo Time" - powerpopaholic.blogspot.com
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Rollo Time is gritty, power-pop. Rollo Time is adult alternative rock. Rollo Time is a quartet of four musical veterans based near Chicago, Illinois. The group rocks in the classic powerpop tradition; that is, immediately grab the attention of the listener with power chords and irresistible hooks, make your point and move on to the next song. Rollo Time is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Jon Raleigh, who was looking for a new challenge following the demise of local trio The Time Beings in 2005.
Raleigh enlisted the help of drummer Tony Gaetto (a fellow Being), Chicago bassist Matt Sharp (Electricon) and former Cereal Killers/Zoot guitarist Sean Black to piece together a debut CD, the self-titled ROLLO TIME. The songs on the first record cover a wide swath of ground within the power pop, classic rock and edgy alternative genres while clear-cutting to the quick with the scythe of intelligent lyrics, a positive message and twists and turns that keep listeners on their toes.
ROLLO TIME is filled with one song or another that appeals to rock music lovers of many different stripes. Maintenance Free is a pop-song with glimpses of classic rock. Travel The World is the most complete rocker on the record with plenty of crunch and attitude. Teach To Grow is a haunting ballad about facing death with dignity, while Digging My Garden sounds like the second coming of Sugar.
The surprisingly positive response to the songs on the first record got the band started on a follow-up project. Recording began in April 2010 at Chicagos Gravity Studios. Producing the new album, entitled Victims of the Crown was Doug McBride, known for his work with other pop/alternative rock masters such as Cheap Trick, Smashing Pumpkins, Veruca Salt, Verbow and others.
Beginning with the first track on the CD, You Can Talk, its clear that Victims is a new direction for Rollo Time. Production on the 10 new power-pop gems is top-notch, innovative and a great listen. Fans can look forward to plenty of ear candy on the new release, including some very diverse instrumentation like electric slide guitar, dobro, lap steel and even glockenspiel, not to mention McBrides knack for tasty sampling and percussion techniques. McBrides handiwork is literally the icing on the cake that is the strong songwriting at Rollo Times core. The cant get the song outta my head quality of the material is really what ties the debut CD to Victims. Says Raleigh: Its a great new collection of songs that each stand on their own but also form a coherent whole. On Victims we moved into less familiar territory and really did some cool things on the production side I really hope our fans get a kick out of the new CD.
So if youre looking for something that promises to be good to your ear holes, grab the new Victims of the Crown CD from Rollo Time. The band hopes to promote the release of the new CD in 2011 with some very special engagements throughout the Midwestern U.S.
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