Nashville rock band Shirock (the last name of front man Chuck Shirock) is a bit different than most of the bands coming from anywhere in the country, let alone Nashville. Their unique brand of anthem-driven rock is way too cool for the Warped Tour crowd, though that’s where they may find most of their fans. In fact, Shirock is more like U2 than any other band – both melodically, musically, and lyrically – as they try to convey positive messages of hope and the desire to make a difference with their music. On the band’s sophomore effort, Everything Burns, each song soars with giant hooks and the vocals of Chuck Shirock as well as female singer Pap, and the instrumentation and arrangements accent each track instead of getting in the way. Really, the best part about Shirock is that they don’t seem like they’re trying too hard to get in everyone’s collective face, and they don’t have to. Standout tracks are the anthemic “Time Goes By” and the Pap-driven “I’ll Take Rain,” as well as the powerful title track, which is about the fact that we should all put time and effort into the things that matter, like relationships and making a difference, and that everything else just burns. Well said, Shirock. (LABEL: self-release)

Shirock MySpace Page