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Roses Are Red’s Trustkill Records debut, Conversations, comes plastered with a badge that proudly proclaims “ROCK IS BACK.” As embarrassingly hyperbolic as that might seem, the music produced by these five boys from western New York sets out to prove exactly that. While carefully dampened chords, gruff harmonies and impassioned vocals make it easy to slip this square peg into the screamo hole, the distorted guitar glissando that opens the album is the bold declaration of musicians aspiring to be rock gods, not another troubled Teen People cover story. In fact, the young quintet has already amassed considerably indie cred with its heartbroken, literate lyrics and uncompromising live performances. Name-checking Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden and Def Leppard while following in the footsteps of emo icons such as Samiam and Hey Mercedes, Roses Are Red just might have you believing that rock really is back.
