Tag: Sons of Rico

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sons of Rico Back with “What Am I Doing Here?”


Oh Sons of Rico, I have missed you. I didn’t realise just how much until I heard your new single “What Am I Doing Here?” This cheery indie pop ditty has put a great big smile on my face.

“It’s the question we ask ourselves in moments of discomfort, loneliness, or dissatisfaction, and the confidence it can take to address it,” explained Alex MacRae.

Thankfully there’s more new music where this came from. It’s out first taste of the band’s follow-up to 2013’s In Rico Glaciers. Hometown fans will get a sneak peek at some of the new material when Sons of Rico launch “What Am I Doing Here?” at Melbourne’s Shebeen on July 24.

Image used with permission from Firestarter Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sons of Rico Speak for Us All with “Get to You”

Around this time of the week, it’s easy to let things get to you. The weekend’s too far away and everyone seems irritating. Thankfully Sons of Rico have released a single that speaks of just this experience.

“Get To You” marks a bit of a departure for the lads better known for rocky numbers “I’m Not Thinking About You” and “You Don’t Know What’s You’re Missin’”. It has a dreamy Beatlesesque feel to it and some really relatable lyrics from frontman Alex McRae. It comes from Sons of Rico’s awesome album In Rico Glaciers.

Sons of Rico will be announcing some September shows shortly to mark the single’s release, so watch this space.

Image used with permission from Firestarter Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“In Rico Glaciers” – Sons of Rico

The sophomore effort from Perth’s Sons of Rico was always guaranteed to put fun first. The band’s moniker was inspired by cult comedy classic Napoleon Dynamite, and their latest record playfully pays tribute to a cheesy Latin crooner. The good vibes are in abundance, but by the end I was left scratching my head.

Perhaps that confusion isn’t a bad thing. I admire Sons of Rico’s ambition. The album opener “Against the Grain” is a big bold start, and while the second track “I’m Not Thinking About You” gets a bit shouty at times, it makes its point. “In My Eyes” was a real highlight for me, with angelic harmonies combining with raw rock riffs.

And then the album takes a sharp left turn, abandoning its modern rock feel for something much more retro. “Just My Type” and “Adjustable Value” call to mind Electric Light Orchestra and Supertramp. Referencing such classic rock pioneers isn’t a bad thing at all. It just doesn’t gel with what came before.

I’m still not sure whether that’s a problem though. Sons of Rico might be a band still trying to work out what they want to be, or they could be an outfit that enjoys making music genre constraints. In any case what they do is damn good fun, with a bubbling energy that’s infectious. Perhaps that’s what matters most.

In Rico Glaciers hits stores on March 29. Sons of Rico will launch it at the following shows:

5 April 2013 – Amplifier Bar, Perth
6 April 2013 – Settler’s Tavern, Margaret River
11 April 2013 – Sol Bar, Maroochydore
12 April 2013 – Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
13 April 2013 – Alhambra, Brisbane
26 April 2013 – Revolution, Geelong
27 April 2013 – The Workers Club, Melbourne
2 May 2013 – Good God, Sydney
3 May 2013 – Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour
4 May 2013 – Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle

Image source: JB Hi Fi

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sons of Rico Release Great New Music Video

Hat’s off to Sons of Rico, who’ve created one of the funniest film clips I’ve seen in some time for their latest single “You Don’t Know What You’re Missing.” In it we see a couple of young yuppies searching for their dream home, only to stumble across a house inspection with a difference. A few drinks and a raucous karaoke session help these fairly stiff lovebirds loosen up!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Sons of Rico’s Alex MacRae

After scoring the coveted support slot for The Living End’s Perth leg, it seems Sons of Rico are impressing all the right people. I caught up with the band’s frontman Alex MacRae to talk about the honour, their new single “You Don’t Know What You’re Missing,” and what we can expect from album number two.

You just scored the support slot for The Living End’s Perth shows. How does that feel?
Kind of bizarre! Here’s a band that we’ve all been fans of since our high school years and seen play on all sorts of stages ever since, and now we’re sharing a stage with them. Really cool, but kind of surreal too.

The support slot can be a tough gig when you’re playing with such an esteemed band. How do you intend to win the crowds over?
When supporting any band we adjust our setlist to include songs that we think will resonate best with a particular crowd. In the case of The Living End this weekend we’ll probably be cranking more of our guitar-heavy tunes. The hardest part for me will be trying not to upstage Chris Cheney with my super badass guitar solos.

After those shows you’ll be headlining your own gigs to launch your single “You Don’t Know What You’re Missing.” What can you tell me about the song?
The song has a bit of a cheeky origin. After a show in Sydney, Adam and I went out in search for a post-gig kebab and were accosted by a transgender lady of the night. Since she wasn’t offering kebabs we kept moving, but not before she said to us “you don’t know what you’re missing”! So I thought to myself “good point”, and the rest is history!

Do you approach a support slot differently to a headlining show?
A little bit yeah. You’re pretty aware that the audience is not your own, but we’ll still try and perform at our best as if it were our own show. There’s a little bit of readjusting that subconsciously happens when you’re onstage as a support, but we’re hardly going to get into leather if we were to support Aerosmith, although Rob has been looking for an excuse to bust out his leather.

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