OurStage

With their new EP True Life , Tampa Bay's Four Star Riot have finally and perfectly reconciled the two most engaging facets of their musical psyche. After four albums that offered punchy power pop and sensual blue-eyed rock 'n' soul in separate but equal amounts, these five tunes bring the hooks and the swagger together to showcase FSR as an ace purveyor of infectious, finely crafted songs with both an energetic contemporary edge and a reverence for the classic R&B rhythms and passion of truly timeless rock 'n' roll. From the smoky barroom strut of “It Ain't Easy” through the slinky, Stones-y “Take It Slow,”True Life pays homage to the genre's best traditions while retaining Four Star Riot's uniquely catchy and evocative character.