Rod Moore stands up for himself in his darkly defiant new single You Won’t Bring Me Down — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
The latest single from the Vancouver multi-tasker’s 2020 Lockdown EP, You Won’t Bring Me Down is a tightly wound, impeccably styled and meticulously crafted pop-rocker fashioned from a host of disparate elements — a staccato horror-movie bass synth, a funky Asian-tinged groove, wiry guitar-twang licks, buzzy electric piano and intricate, densely layered vocal harmonies reminiscent of They Might Be Giants. If all that sounds weird, well, its initial musical inspiration is right in line.
“I am a big John Carpenter fan, and the music he writes for his movies is always very unique, quirky and memorable,” Moore says. “This song definitely carried some of that inspiration, which shows strongest in the opening, single tone riff.” Lyrically, however, Moore stuck closer to reality. “You Won’t Bring Me Down was conceived while in Toronto during one of the deepest parts of COVID-19, and was definitely written out of frustration. It means exactly what it suggests — you won’t bring me down!”
That goes double for the rest of the Lockdown EP, which offers an upbeat reflection on the tumultuous times in which we have all been living. Multi-instrumentalist Moore shines in his singer-songwriter persona, delivering a collection of catchy, cleverly written tracks layered in synth tones and drum loops as an intentional nod to the ’80s.
Having developed his stage and studio chops playing instrumental surf guitar music, Moore had long pondered the idea of stepping out front. The tellingly titled You Never Know If You Never Try, released in 2018, marked his vocal debut and the inception of The Rod Moore Band. Seeped in ‘50s and ‘60s influence, its four original numbers were recorded with the accompaniment of some recently graduated music college alumni.
2020 provided Rod with the opportunity to revisit a batch of songs he had shelved eight years prior, culminating in the album 7635 South West Boulevard. These well-crafted and eclectic modern pop songs represent a stylistic shift inspired by acts as diverse as ELO, Moby and Ray Charles.
Moore’s third release was clearly influenced by the state of the world at its time of inception. The Lockdown EP delves deeper into the musical themes introduced on its predecessor, while focusing on tighter arrangements and big-budget production — it was recorded at Vancouver’s HippoSonic Recording Studio, the former home of the Legendary Little Mountain Studios.
Check out You Won’t Bring Me Down above, hear more from The Rod Moore Band below, and find out more on Moore’s website, Facebook and Instagram.
