SONG REVIEW: Rather Ordinary Dudes - “0. The Fool”
Rather Ordinary Dudes pursue the extraordinary with “0. The Fool”
Written by JD Walker
The progressive music scene is home to some truly extraordinary musicians, with note choice, time changes, and melody seemingly changing at a moment’s notice. What truly makes the genre so great is the incredible musicianship, which is what makes Rather Ordinary Dudes anything but ordinary - the masterful musicians put their talents on full display with their single “0. The Fool”.
The song opens with a smattering of jazzy chords, tasteful yet open drumming, and a subdued energy. The verse kicks in with the vocal hook of the song “all the world’s a stage and I’ve been forced to play the fool for you” (possibly a subtle nod to the greatest band of all time, Rush) before the band really gets down to business. The song gets progressively busier instrumentally while the vocals retain an element of smoothness, as the members of the Tacoma-based quartet lend their collective voices for a rather massive sound as the song builds to a precipice.
The 4-piece prog rockers hailing from Western Washington are no slouches on their respective instruments, just to reiterate. Comprising of Kasey Peterson on guitar and vocals, Ziggy Ziegler on bass and vocals, Jacob “Gil” Gilman on drums and vocals, and Kyle Billmeyer on guitar, the group have a similar vibe to Mastodon in the sense that all but one member of the band can and will take lead vocals. Instrumentally, the group shares similarities with the likes of Eidola, Hail The Sun, A Lot Like Birds, and many other groups that fall under the Swancore microgenre.
Rather Ordinary Dudes clearly know how to put on a show, both musically and visually - the video was strictly performance-based but never dull or drab. Through a mixture of creative lighting, energetic stage presence, and some absolutely gorgeous instruments (seriously, those Kiesels are badass), the group puts on a great virtual show and would undoubtedly be a fun band to see live.
Rather Ordinary Dudes are not only out of the ordinary, they’re flat out extraordinary musicians and songwriters. “0. The Fool” (named after the tarot card) is a quick and not-so-dirty banger of a song, though it never sticks to one sound or becomes redundant. These guys just might be on another level with their ability to write songs and execute them well, and the final product clearly reflects that. There doesn’t seem to be a weak link in the band and they’ve got everything to show for it.