4 stars out of 5
Listen on Spotify here
Listen/buy on Bandcamp here
Know Roe? No? I didn’t really either till last August, when I saw Roe Knows Best perform solo in a sweltering New Jersey basement. (Previously, I’d only heard a couple of her songs on Pizza Bagel Records compilations.) Now, I attend a lot of shows — people often question the sheer feasibility of it — but suffice to say, when the dust settled and I put Roe Knows Best on my 2023 best “new-to-me” list, it was based on significant research.
Caught Roe solo acoustic again this past May — same basement, though much less hot — and was thrilled to learn she’d be releasing a new single this summer: “Capture the Flag” which is out now! Hearing it played live by Roe O’Brien twice on her own, the song stood out as a miniature indiepop gem, complete with a genre-approved nod to the innocence of childhood.
Going into the studio with two members of emo heroes The Early November (guitarist Ace Enders who also co-produced with Roe, and drummer Dillon Wray), the song was fleshed out with post-rock muscle. But rather than overpowering Roe’s lyrics, the added mid-tempo instrumentation actually highlights her message of hope and persistence. Roe’s clean, clear vocals float above it all, with an almost-yodel that evokes the ghost of Hank Williams.
And just when you think the song is going to kick into overdrive with crashing drums and a majestic guitar solo… it ends. You’re left wanting more, yet at the same time are totally satisfied. It’s a neat trick.
Jack Silbert, curator