The New Year period always feels like a time of refresh, reboot and renewal and the first music release of the year by a band usually feels like a statement of intent. Chesterfield five piece The Rooves new release Who Do You Think You Are?, is their first released track in almost a year and it is a strikingly confident song which continues the band’s path to producing music with a strong complexity and mix of style.

The lyrics also offer a no nonsense empowerment; the vocals of Charlotte Henry have an almost weary disappointed tone as she realises how the person in her company enjoys stringing her along and making her feel anxious with their mind games. There’s both a new world-weary tone and a defiance in the vocal. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.

I like that The Rooves can produce tunes like Who Do You Think You Are, which almost feel like a living contradiction. There’s a mix of a confident beat and a jaunty rhythm, but on another level, it’s moving towards being a laid back almost shoegaze tune. Lead vocalist Charlotte has a very warm and striking voice, and I get the comparison others have made to Ellie from Wolf Alice. Here on this particular tune, there is something of a more muted feel to the music (a description of a transatlantic Night Cafe is in my head, but I suspect some might question my ear a little). I know the band describe The Big Moon as an influence and it’s certainly true that Big Moon fans would find much to like with The Rooves.

Last year’s The Rooves tune, Television proved to be a huge leap for the band as it demonstrated a growing sophistication and musicians creating something new, moving into a new comfort zone. Who Do You Think You Are? continues that journey. It’s quite a development for a young band that have been together for little more than two years.

Chris R

* Images are from The Rooves social media