The Rocketboys – “Bloodless”

Recorded in their home studio and mixed by CK Eiriksson (U2, Live, Phish), Build Anyway chronicles the emotions that surface through the brokenness in abandonment to the search for peace and closure, both personally and musically.  Frontman Brandon Kinder conveys the feelings dreamily as he paints a haunting, yet heartfelt picture with his rich crooning vocals on the album’s debut track, “Bloodless,” giving fans a preview of what’s to come on Build Anyway.

On their previous recordings, 20,000 Ghosts and Wellwisher, The Rocketboys perfectly married themes of unity and brotherhood with rich, soaring rock, lifting the band to national critical acclaim.  The band supported its releases with lengthy tours and multiple festival appearances but inevitably the rigors of the road took their toll, eventually rupturing the band’s momentum in the winter of 2010-11. Three members of the sextet of college friends from Abilene, Texas left to focus on other endeavors, and the split nearly ended the band.

The resulting hiatus did have its upside, allowing Kinder a window both to release a solo EP (under the name “The Wealthy West”) and to pen the theme song for The Discovery Channel’s new hit show “Bering Sea Gold.”  However, in the end, the three remaining members (Kinder, keyboardist Justin Wiseman, and bassist Josh Campbell) agreed they weren’t at peace letting The Rocketboys cease to exist.

The initial hurdles of rebuilding, though difficult and disheartening, began to give way to new-found inspiration. Though the song-writing process drastically changed as a result of the reduced lineup, with less cooks in the kitchen, a broader, dynamic range of ideas and visions fermented and flourished.  The end result and forthcoming album is Build Anyway.

Listen: The Rocketboys – “Bloodless”