For the first time in three years, it appears that a full fledged summer is on the horizon. Aside from all of the favorite pastimes of the season, there is usually a feel good soundtrack to go along with it. As we further return to normalcy, “Manhattan Pier,” the latest single by alternative rock band Rose City Cinema, is the soothing summer breeze we so desperately need. While playing upon summertime nostalgia, the Pasadena, California-based band have produced a surf rock-pop hybrid.
Building a vibrant, sultry soundscape begins with the ushering in of wavy guitar chords at this track’s onset. From there, rapid fire drums join the scene to juxtapose the relaxing pace of the stretched out guitar play. To complete the ensemble, a fluttering synth arrives and adds a gleeful spirit to this tune. Altogether, there is a balmy essence that harkens back to the carefree, lazy days of summer that we grew to remember.
Digging deeper beyond the sonics, “Manhattan Pier” wistfully nostalgic about the people and places of a bygone time. Living in memory lane, lead singer Ian Stahl takes stock of fleeting remembrances in the light of present day circumstances. Whether he “feels so out of reach” with the way things are or describing his town as a “little mean,” Stahl is out of sync with the sweet spot his mind’s created about this locale. What’s missing is a special someone who made this place “oh so nice” when they were “on the scene.”
“Remember when you brought me to Manhattan Pier,” Stahl reflects. Looking back to happier times, even if they were fleeting, are an intoxicating experience. In the grand scheme, they can come in small, but extremely potent doses. But, they shape us in unforeseen ways throughout our lives. By throwing back to one particularly meaningful day, Stahl travels back to untroubled times when he was impervious to everything.
Returning to a sense of normalcy has been bandied about so much the last two-plus years that it has lost all meaning. In reality, normal is a moving target that shifts with the times. However, we can blend the old and new normal together and live our best lives. “Manhattan Pier” is warm and fuzzy about the good ol’ days, but isn’t resentful. Instead, it maintains the perspective that despite what may come, sunny days are in the offing.
Written by Travis Boyer
FOLLOW ROSE CITY CINEMA:
