“I just fell in love with a forty-five (rpm record) been kept alive in a box over 30 years old,” sings Chris Henderson, the front man of the Hartford, CT, band BRONZE RADIO RETURN. This lyric, from their full-length debut album, OLD TIME SPEAKER, begins to paint the picture that enables your understanding of the group and their music. Like listening to old Bluesmen on your iPod Touch, BRONZE RADIO RETURN is about the juxtaposition of the old and the new. The love for these old records is a mutual feeling shared by the band members, who attribute their sound to the music that came long before their childhoods.
The serious nature of the band members’ musicianship led them to study their craft for their higher education. They met playing throughout CT and NY in various permutations through mutual friends. The way they modernize this traditional American style of music is what makes them truly unique. “We each offer a different spin on the music we play,” offers Henderson, who professes great appreciation for Ben Harper and Muddy Waters. “That’s really how we found our unique sound. Everyone has a voice and adds to it.” Bandmates Struble and Griffith cite Stevie Wonder, while Tanen is moved by the modern-day Stone Temple Pilots’ tight bass groove. CCR and Stevie Ray Vaughn light Fetkowitz’s fire, and Warner rounds it out with a push from Tom Petty.
Producer, Doug Derryberry (Bruce Hornsby, Ben Folds Five) discovered BRONZE RADIO RETURN's considerable talents at a NYC show and produced their first EP. More recently, the Northeastern band’s collaboration with Midwestern producer/multi-instrumentalist Chad Copelin brought them to a Southern studio and resulted in the creation of a ten-song album. OLD TIME SPEAKER has brought the band's sound to a whole new place, and the band has made it their mission to experience as much of this country as possible, hitting the road for incredibly long stretches to share their music with as many as possible.
Myspace Records brought BRONZE RADIO RETURN into their stable of 'Friends and Family' – the best unsigned bands on the popular portal. Exemplified by tracks like “Pullin’ on the Reins,” “Strawberry Hill,” and “Wolves,” OLD TIME SPEAKER has what it takes to please lovers of all kinds of Rock & Roll.
Henderson concludes, “Ultimately, we want to make people move when they hear our music.” With their non-stop touring, get ready for BRONZE RADIO RETURN to ‘move’ into your town soon!
Rough Town
Bronze Radio Return Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
“Oh no, that city I always pass”
He told me he heard it’s so hard to last
On a rising star, that seems to be sinking fast.
The bad news travels here so fast
While the tales of the good never will reach the mass
But I live here among the broken glass
It's not what you see, it's how you will make it last
From the late light after all the day is gone
When everybody leaves and the trouble comes along
There’s not quite a welcome sign aglow
It’s a rough town man, a rough town I know
The sound bites of dying city noise
Are a fraction of the action that no one here enjoys
If you hold tight and you listen past the lows
It’s a rough town now, it's my rough town I know
“Hold your tongue, man” I say
‘Cause it's easy to scoff and underestimate
All the things you can’t relate to
Is the fabric I keep my memories sewn to
[Repeat Chorus:]
In the lyrics of “Rough Town” by Bronze Radio Return, we see the singer being asked about their origin by someone only to brush off the city they are from as it is known for being hard to survive in. The city is seen as a shining star on the outside, but sinking fast on the inside with bad news spreading quickly and not much good making it out to the masses. The singer lives within this rough town and sees the broken glass, but understands that it's not what you see but how you make it last. The chorus speaks to the harsh reality of the town when it's dark out and everyone leaves, trouble is not far behind. The city is not one that is welcoming, but home to the singer. The sound bites that come from the city's noise only tells a small portion of the story and the singer is urging others to hold tight and listen to the lows; to really see that their rough town is theirs and they know it best.
Line by Line Meaning
“Where you from?” he asks*
Someone asked me where I'm from
“Oh no, that city I always pass”
I replied saying I'm from a city that is often overlooked
He told me he heard it’s so hard to last
The person I was talking to said he heard that it's difficult to thrive in my city
On a rising star, that seems to be sinking fast.
My city was once doing well, but now it seems to be struggling
The bad news travels here so fast
Negative information spreads quickly in my city
While the tales of the good never will reach the mass
Positive stories are rarely heard by most people
But I live here among the broken glass
Despite the challenges, I choose to live in my city and face them head-on
It's not what you see, it's how you will make it last
Success in my city is not about appearances, but rather about perseverance and resilience
[Chorus:]
From the late light after all the day is gone
When everybody leaves and the trouble comes along
There’s not quite a welcome sign aglow
It’s a rough town man, a rough town I know
At night, when most people have gone home, that's when the problems in my city reveal themselves. It's not a friendly place, but it's the tough reality I've come to embrace
The sound bites of dying city noise
The negative sounds of my city - like sirens and other signs of distress - are heard frequently
Are a fraction of the action that no one here enjoys
The negative aspects of my city are just a small part of what happens there, but they overshadow everything else
If you hold tight and you listen past the lows
If you persevere and really pay attention, you can find the good things in my city despite the bad
It’s a rough town now, it's my rough town I know
Despite its challenges, I still love and appreciate my city
“Hold your tongue, man” I say
‘Cause it's easy to scoff and underestimate
All the things you can’t relate to
Is the fabric I keep my memories sewn to
I caution others not to judge my city too harshly or dismiss it without really understanding it. For me, it's a place that shapes who I am and holds many meaningful memories
[Repeat Chorus:]
The chorus repeats, emphasizing the idea that despite its challenges, my city is still home and a place I care about
Contributed by Hannah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@CurleyJoe13
Best little band I've ever heard. A perfect sound. I'm playing this live at my local gym just hoping people ask about it