Rock Europa - “Ode To My Friends”

SXSW 2023 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 3

Pairs Well With…Kiwi Jr., Jimmy Eat World, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

Four albums in, Rock Eupora are leaning more into power pop than ever on Pick At The Scab, warm, psych-pop production easing the hook-heavy songwriting underneath. It’s a sound that points to classic 80s/90s indie rock as Rock Eupora write new songs that you swear you’ve heard before. Straight melodies and major, pop chords lay the backbone of the Nashville-based band’s music, but low-key, garage production balances in lieu of too-sweet earworms. It’s the strongest release in the catalog and a refreshing listen for both nostalgic future-facing ears, a record that deserves a wider audience since its release last summer. (Kevin McStravick)

2022 Review: Full and energetic, Rock Eupora’s brand of indie rock is melodically strong and fiercely driven by alt-rock hooks. Their upbeat riffs and vocals recall 90s and 00s buzzy hits, a consistent thread across their catalog including their latest, the Mirror EP from 2021. This calling card of catchy guitar melodies and finding pop earworms within a crunchy rock sound rides through the band’s burgeoning discography, comprised of three full-lengths of go-for-the-fences rock-and-roll songs. In lieu of experimental songcraft, Rock Eupora base their music around tight and memorable verse-and-chorus packages full of hope and togetherness.