At only 16 years old, Bryce Avary put out a self-titled EP as "The Rocket Summer". Local radio shows started playing tracks from the album. Two more records, Calendar Days and Hello, Good Friend followed, along with the... more » fans, who sing along to every word of every song. Soon, Avary found himself headlining mid-size concert halls. Do You Feel, his first major label release with Island Def Jam, is similar to his previous work in that he wrote and performed the entire album himself. Co-Produced by Jim Wirt (Incubus, Jack's Mannequin), it is also possibly the most energetic and upbeat album you'll hear all year. Do You Feel is full of guitar-fueled power pop, piano-laced ballads and big, big choruses. The horn-driven "So Much Love," the first single, marks a bit of a departure, and one of the rare times Avary collaborated with other musicians. "There's a common theme on this record," says Avary, wanting to do greater things for the world, and not just trying to be a rock-'n'roll star. I think we all have that desire but our issues and daily life get in the way. These songs are about trying to overcome that."« less
At only 16 years old, Bryce Avary put out a self-titled EP as "The Rocket Summer". Local radio shows started playing tracks from the album. Two more records, Calendar Days and Hello, Good Friend followed, along with the fans, who sing along to every word of every song. Soon, Avary found himself headlining mid-size concert halls. Do You Feel, his first major label release with Island Def Jam, is similar to his previous work in that he wrote and performed the entire album himself. Co-Produced by Jim Wirt (Incubus, Jack's Mannequin), it is also possibly the most energetic and upbeat album you'll hear all year. Do You Feel is full of guitar-fueled power pop, piano-laced ballads and big, big choruses. The horn-driven "So Much Love," the first single, marks a bit of a departure, and one of the rare times Avary collaborated with other musicians. "There's a common theme on this record," says Avary, wanting to do greater things for the world, and not just trying to be a rock-'n'roll star. I think we all have that desire but our issues and daily life get in the way. These songs are about trying to overcome that."
"Wow...this CD was my introduction to the rocket summer and i was blown away. This is honestly one of those CDs you can listen to from front to back and not skip a track. My friend told me that the lead singer, Bryce Avary, writes, sings and plays every instrument on the whole CD, which I thought was really impressive. The stand out tracks are "So Much Love", "Break It Out" and "High Life Scenery". I challenge you to listen to at least these songs and try to get them out of your head...it won't be happening. I know that The Rocket Summer is playing on the Warped Tour this summer and I cannot wait to see them...I've heard their live show is just ridiculous. This CD is great for fans of Something Corporate, Dashboard, Ben Folds and Blink-182."
Good, but not as good
William Elgie | 07/17/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"this is a good cd, but not as good as calendar days or hello, good friend. its slightly dissapointing as its much more generic and mainstream than the former albums. its missing that certain spark that only comes from bryce's songs like "tv family" or "brat pack". its good though, every song is catchy and the lyrics are mature and well composed. all in all, bryce nailed it again."
The Album To Make You Happy
Hales28 | 09/30/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Do You Feel is a great CD to put you in a happy mood. Bryce Avary is sooo talented, playing most of the instruments on his CD. His lyrics have a positive message, and he's on tour now, so you should definitely try to catch one of his shows. Be sure to watch the "So Much Love" video on his MySpace page. That's what really got me hooked on this song. Some other songs I like are "Break It Out," and "Save.""
Better than the best
S. Radtke | Knoxville TN | 07/21/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've fallen in love with Bryce's 2 previous albums and now there are 3!!! You would be missing out on everything good in life if you did not purchase this CD and give it a chance. Don't just think it is another pop-punk band... it's different. He is one of the only bands to bring out the beauty in the world with his lyrics."
Better With Age...
Emily J. Smith | 07/21/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is now the third full-length CD released by the amazingly talented Bryce Avary, the one man band The Rocket Summer. I was first introduced to TRS back in 2004, with Calander Days, which quickly became one of my favorite CDs of all time. Then, with the release of Hello, Good Friend, a few years later, Bryce only continued to blow us away with an even more enriched musical experience. He added more layers to the harmonies, more depth to his lyrics, and more instruments to his report. I didn't think it could get much better, as Hello, Good Friend is one of my favorite albums, by any artist, of all time. However, to the point, Do You Feel, has topped that. I couldn't wait for it to be released, and bought it the second I could. Since then, I've listened to it over and over and over again, loving it more and more each time. This time, Bryce adds a slightly political, and moral stance to some of his songs (Do You Feel), and his vocals are absolutely phenomenal. The same intensity from HGF is there, but some of the screaming has been toned down (come on...you remember...). The downside? there are some moments that will bring back a lot of that classic TRS sound. But, I guess, if you're a fan, that repitition isn't such a bad thing at all. Anyways, I love this CD as much, no, more than any of Bryce's other stuff, and I've been a fan since the beginning of time. I recommend EVERYONE buy this CD. If it doesn't stick right away, give it 3 or 4 listens and I guarentee you'll be in love..."