Published on Jul 19, 2013
The Bolts is living the rock 'n' roll fairy tale it seems. The young Los Angeles outfit put together a demo after just a few months together that was solid enough to get them on the legendary station KROQ. That exposure as well as their energetic shows gained them local awards and further fame came with multiple licensing spots with TV and sports. The kind of momentum these guys have been building created the sort of buzz that used to have A&R reps from major labels foaming at the mouth, ready to sign 'The Next Biggest Thing.' Since labels are becoming less and less necessary, The Bolts decided to put out their debut album Wait 'Til We're Young by themselves instead.
The first thing you'll notice about The Bolts is their straightforwardness. These guys aren't trying to create any new subgenre of rock or confuse the listener with complicated structure and prose. Instead, they write everyday songs about everyday life while possessing a knack for catchy melodies, sing-a-long choruses, and upbeat guitar riffs. Seeing as how the front portion of the band all sings, there's plenty of harmonizing to be found among the alt-rock, classic rock, and pop rock feel-good tunes.
Every tune here could easily find its way onto the FM dial and be blasted through a stadium. While there are subtle differences between tracks, they all entail a large amount of liveliness and memorableness and the minor tweaks between songs point at a different fan bases. “Taking On The Night” is tailor made for the alternative crowd who feel Weezer's best days are behind them. “Walk Away” would suit the hard rock fans well, starting out in an almost '80s metal vein. “The Truth” shows off their surf rock tendencies and inner Brian Wilson. And “Play The Music” might be the most different from the bunch, working from an '80s synth-rock template.
This is a band who truly warrants all the hoopla surrounding them. Fans of The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Muse, or even Green Day will find something to enjoy here. While many bands in the position of The Bolts would rely on the strength of two or three strong tracks in a full length, each song here carries its own weight well.