Rota Review
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Rota is a reggae/rock/hip hop influenced six-piece band hailing out of St. Louis Missouri. The band is comprised of Adam Belko on vocals, Tony Barcinas on percussion, Jeff Hanewinkel on bass, Zack Reckamp on guitar and Jeff Kelly on drums. Formed in 2009, their run was short lived, but they returned in 2018 with an improved lineup and fresh material. Since returning to the music scene, Rota has released six songs. Each is an interesting mix of reggae and rock. The two most recent singles are “Shake And Roll” and “Helluva Daze.” Both tunes build on the syncopated sounds and beat of reggae with sections and instrument sounds that bring in the rock elements. Belko’s voice is able to blend the styles in a convincing manner. Both tracks say bring the party, ya mon!
Helluva Daze
Shake and Roll
Positives:
Both “Shake And Roll” and “Helluva Daze” have song forms that develop melodic ideas through various feels, building interest over time and providing a solid listening experience.
Bottom Line:
With Rota’s six-member band, they are able to cover a lot of musical material. The songwriting and lyrics in both are solid. Reckamp turns in some very nice guitar parts that shine a light on his skills. The foundation is kept full and solid with Kelly and Hanewinkel at the helm and Barcinas’ percussion is the icing on the cake. “Helluva Daze” has a rhythmically catchy melody and hip guitar hook that will stick in your head for days. “Shake And Roll” highlights a wah-wah guitar figure that segues right into the reggae feel. As the name implies, there is more of a rock influence on this one, but the band blends the two seamlessly. Reckamp takes a very tasty guitar solo. Rota is on a solid path, if you are a fan of bands like Rebelution, like we are, you will love Rota too. That’s the short of it!