The Rising are described as a Pop/Rock band with Country Rock and Americana influences, but it may be more apt to describe this Belfast trio as a Country Rock band with pop influences. Having been signed to the NI based label Renegade Maverick Records and recording their debut album Coming Home in Belfast, Los Angeles and Nashville, this has been a busy few years for this band’s current line-up. Formerly known as EXIT, the band discuss their name change below:
So why the name change? Simple – EXIT wanted to make music that was less rowdy and more refined, to replace the overt rock mannerisms with subtle pop stylings. With the line-up reduced to a leaner trio – singer Tristan Harris, guitarist Chris Logan and bassist Andy Morgan. Logan, acknowledging the new roots-based direction, added banjo and mandolin to his repertoire of instruments. The Rising were born.
Coming Home is a ten track gambol through Americana styled Country Rock infused with powerful choruses and melodic guitar. To be honest it’s surprising that a Belfast band could produce a sound like this, and I mean that in the best way possible. The Rising are polished, not a hint of a Belfast accent anywhere, but there is a rawness that you don’t get from mainstream Country Rock music nowadays.
Highlights from the album include Highway To The Lost & Found, Man On The Moon and latest single Still Coming Home To You. The latter is sure to be an instant hit; with uplifting guitar riffs, the gentle plucks of a banjo and frontman Tristan Harris’ sheer vocal talent for this style of music. You can hear this song being played on mainstream radio, and you can certainly see people singing along to it at live shows.
Highway To The Lost & Found by comparison is much more rocked up, with strong riffs from guitarist Chris Logan, relentless drums and edgy vocals from both Harris and backing vocalist and bass player Andy Morgan. This song has attitude, whilst still retaining the softness of the band’s feel-good sound.
If you thought The Rising’s sound couldn’t get any more varied, Man On The Moon is completely different yet again -this tune’s a lot more dark and brooding. Containing beautiful harmonies, catchy lyrics and a bit of lyrical theatrics, this is another surefire hit.
Over all, Coming Home is a great debut album, and something a little different from the NI music scene that we haven’t seen or heard before. There’s no doubt that this band have talent, they know exactly what they’re doing and the do it extremely well. The only gripe that I have is that on first listen, some of the songs sound a bit similar, which can make the whole album seem repetitive, although after a few listens, the strongest tracks really start to jump out at you and get stuck in your head for days. Watch out for this band.
