Hot Robots, performing at the Meadowlark on Saturday, are inching toward a sound all their own. Photos by .
“It’s a bitter pill with a sweet candy coating.”
That’s how lead singer and guitar player Jimmy Leo describes the heart-on-their-their-sleeves-style “power pop” rock ‘n’ roll the band brought to the cave-like on Saturday. Bandmates appearing under the names Jimmy Image (Jimmy Leo), Eric Eiffel (Eric Lowe), Johnny Moses (no nickname) and G. Gordon Gordon (Jon Baron) are close friends and veterans of other local bands.
Hot Robots recently released their first album, “Built to Tilt,” a “grip it and rip it” project that was tracked live and overdubbed. They are currently working on a second album and expect to release that late summer/early fall 2009.
Saturday’s performance focused on the future, with eight of the 10 songs in the set expected to appear on the band’s upcoming album. (Two songs from “Built to Tilt” filled out the set.) Influenced by bands such as the Who, Cheap Trick, Teenage Fanclub, Guided By Voices, the Replacements and the Clash, Hot Robots are beginning to find their own sound. Delivering a high-energy show, with guitar-driven music, the band gels both musically and personally.
Jimmy Leo penned most of the songs performed Saturday with a couple of compositions by lead guitarist Eric Lowe filling out the set list. Leo’s contributions take life head on in an angry, irony-free style, while Lowe’s equally rockin’ songs tend to be a bit more reflective. Either way, the band’s audience got 10 songs straight from the gut from this band of buddies.
Mark Osler is a Denver freelance photographer and regular Reverb contributor. See more of his work .
MORE PHOTOS:
