Project Rod Williams goes for a hard-hitting, gritty and raw sound with “Run Away”. The intimacy of the tracks shows off their ability to craft narratives straight from the streets. Stylistically they draw heavily from 80s pop, the 00s dance-rock, and slight glimmers of dirty industrial/electro thrown in for good measure. By far the highlight of the entire approach is the way that they layer the arrangements for they have a nimbleness that informs it all. Grooves are outright infectious for they have a rather darkened disposition to them, one that feels fantastic freeing even.
The references run a pretty wide gamut. For their darker side, they bring a bit of Julian Casablancas + The Voidz energy into the fray. Everything within the sound has a mysterious, late-night aura to it. On the dance kick, with that four to the floor beat they utilize with such ease, there is a different sort of influence, one of DFA Records’ output. With a stark yet fully realized groove to it, they conjure up imagery most specifically of the Juan MacLean. Lyrics too have a cutting edge to it.
Dramatic flourishes from the synthesizer swivel on through with the epic opener “Ways Out”. Strings expand and soar up to the heavens on the intense fever dream of “Run Away”. With “Sarah Jane” a sense of drama emerges, one that captures loss and chaos with flair. A true hyperkinetic groove “Stronger” has a muscular bass line to it that worms its way through the entire thing. One of the highlights of the album “Stronger” has a creative lyricism to it as well. Nods to Underworld’s mixture of western twang and trance “Find Yourself” has a sharp edge to it. Lighter with its touch is the funky fanfare of “You’re Lyin’ To Me”.
“So Over You” goes for a playful quality, one that shows the joys of letting go and moving on. Beats hit with a feral energy with “Move”. Nice staccato electro grooves emerge on the rather spacious “Love And Confusion” for they bring some krautrock vibes into the driving rhythm. Ambient swirls give “Fly With Me” a surrealistic hue, as the melodies are embedded within the deep textures. Tight and compact “Stronger (Remix)” leans even heavier into the dancefloor featuring a delirious, decadent sound that radiates with ever so much color, closing things off on a high note.
“Run Away” has a cleverness to it, one that proves Project Rod Williams to be deft storytellers.
