Austin-based artist Edward Rendon delivers an emotive, affecting rock sound on his newly released Hopeless Romantic EP. Drawing upon Brit-pop and early ’00s rock influences, the release has strong personal meaning for Rendon, who explains: “It’s made up of songs I’ve held onto for years and new ones I’ve written just recently. It’s for the yearners, the anxious, and anyone who loves a good spacey guitar rock song. And really a response to the state of the world and my growing anxiety due to it.”
“Crazy Times” commences the EP with a jangly, heart-on-sleeve appeal — lyrically contemplating on uncertain times, where one doesn’t know “what’s in store” for them. “All the world is tearing us apart,” Rendon’s vocals continue as the guitars burst with a more vibrant quality. Yearning to close one’s eyes and wait until the tumult passes shows, as does a perseverant quality to venture through it directly — making for a relatable, heartfelt account of crossroads when faced with conflict.
Ensuing track “Darling You’re a Star” continues the strong start, casting a dream-like spell with its “working late at night” scene-setting and romantic sense of balladry. The “world feels upside down” accounts feel like an artful continuation of the opener’s laments. Another gem arises in the EP’s finale title track, a six-minute success that spans from initial understated guitar strums into a post-punk pulsing entrancement, as the “world comes crashing down” debonair vocal hold hits; subsequent distortion makes for a resonating pull, sounding like a delectable cross of The Stone Roses and The Replacements. Hopeless Romantic is a thorough success of an EP from Edward Rendon.
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We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
