THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The charismatic quartet of Brit rockers known as The Struts are back with their fourth studio album — and first full-length release with Big Machine / John Varvatos Records.
The platinum-selling rock juggernauts, who have collaborated with the likes of Kesha and Tom Morello, and opened for The Rolling Stones and Foo Fighters (the latter dubbed them “the best opening band we’ve ever had”), are out to harness the raucous nature of their live shows and take it into the studio. Produced by The Struts alongside Julian Raymond (Freddie Mercury, Cheap Trick), and executive produced by Scott Borchetta, the group focuse their arena-sized energy into their most concentrated and exciting songs to date.
“This record showcases each individual member’s strengths,” frontman Luke Spiller says. “It’s some of my favorite music, hands down, we’ve ever conjured up. It’s the record everyone’s been waiting for.”
The band’s swaggering lead single, Too Good At Raising Hell, features a video directed by Chris Applebaum (Rihanna, Miley Cyrus) that sees the band’s horn-adorned singer cheekily contemplating the consequences of a hard-partying rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. Packed with a driving chorus and climbing guitars, the song is the perfect introduction to an album brimming with riotous, arena-ready tracks.
Showcasing their unique brand of rock that favors cheek over machismo, in Rockstar the band tell the story of a girl who has untouchable energy, set to a wall of massive vocals, crashing percussion and layered guitars. The song’s protagonist is described in catchy lines throughout the track. “‘Cause she’s the diamond of the season the original sin / Waiting for some action and the show to kick in,” Spiller fires off.
“I wanted to write this story where a guy meets a girl who has rock-star energy and he just wants her,” Spiller explains. “The line about original sin is a tip of the hat to composer and lyricist Jim Steinman, who wrote Pandora’s Box’s Original Sin. There are so many great lines in there, like ‘kamikaze casanova crashing into your headlights.’ I love moments like that in an album when you don’t have to be super serious. Not everything has to be Imagine by John Lennon. We were just thinking, ‘Let’s inject this record with some light-hearted fun.’ We recorded it in like two takes, and it’s one of the most energetic songs on the album.”
