SINGLE REVIEW: Roscoe Street – Russian Roulette

Since their incredible headline performance under Boot Music’s ‘Best of 2024’ banner, it’s all been fairly quiet from Roscoe Street. Liverpool’s premier funk rock sextet have played a smattering of performances, including one in a kitchen, but have otherwise kept their profile low. That changed earlier this month their best single to date, ‘Russian Roulette’.

What Roscoe Street offer is yet another fantastically modern take on funk rock, bringing the hedonistic sleaze of indie and the impressive, soulful musicianship of funk together. The result is a brilliantly catchy and unbelievably fun listen; the central saxophone hook is guaranteed to be lodged deep within your brain after only a single listen.

The vocals are delivered with the sort of effortless coolness that one can only be born with, with simplistic yet infectious melodies, and a subtly husky tone that oozes character. The harmonies in the choruses are wonderfully executed, adding a real sense of rich depth, and the playful cheering in the instrumental back half makes you feel as though you are witnessing this being played live.

Roscoe Street, without a doubt, are one of the most fun musical acts in Merseyside right now. ‘Russian Roulette’ takes every ounce of promise that the band possessed on their first two singles, and delivers upon it tenfold with their most polished effort to date. How the band balance creativity with accessibility is commendable, and is guaranteed to earn them plenty of fans.

And you want to say you were there first, right?

For Fans Of: Bonk!, Silk Sonic, Red Rum Club, Courteeners, Arctic Monkeys

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Spotify