Rhodes Corduroy debuted their new single “Always Have Always Will” at the Mudpit last Saturday.

Words by Callan Nagel-Dubin / Photos by Callan Nagel-Dubin / Graphic by Maxine Moses / Graphic Inspo by Lily Greco and Griffin Turner

Upon first impression, singer Aidan LaBella wouldn’t strike you as your average rock band singer. Clad in maroon corduroy pants and a long-sleeves-rolled-up shirt, the sweltering Mudpit heat did little to stifle the fashion sense and retro style of the 22-year-old singer. The rest of Rhodes Corduroy followed suit, dressed with a similarly vintage aesthetic.

This retro persona was certainly not by mistake– rather it was done with an attention to detail trademark of a group infatuated by music for the sake of music. Their influences were worn subtly on their sleeves, with both deep-cut and popular covers sprinkled throughout their set of gripping original material. Among their covers were “Louis Louis” (first made popular by The Kingsmen), a surprise encore of “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones, and most notably, “Slide Away” by Oasis. Singer Aidan LaBella slipped in and out of Liam Gallagher’s iconic stance, while guitarist Zach Franze stood quietly behind him, reminiscent of Noel Gallagher’s tendency to idle behind Liam with an intense focus on his guitar playing. The pride that Rhodes Corduroy takes in reviving Rock and Roll is evident in both their performance and in their songwriting. Drummer Mitch Weisz commented further on the group’s rock revival roots:

“Rock is coming back in a weird and interesting way… …people want to be excited about something again. You see all these rock bands with fifty, sixty thousand monthly listeners, and they’re slowly climbing with this electronic twist. I think that’s where you’re gonna see us go.”

(Left to right) Lang on Bass, LaBella on Rhythm Guitar, Franze on Lead Guitar. Photo by Callan Nagel-Dubin.

With their new single, “Always Have Always Will,” their rock revival sound comes through loud and clear with a guitar-driven, vocal harmony-laden pop tune, striking an innovative balance between the past and present. Despite being well-rooted in the music of greats before them, LaBella made it clear that their music is just as much about the present as it is about the past:

“The cover album art of ‘Always Have [Always Will]’ looks like ‘Onwards and Upwards’ by Billy Tibbals. If you look at them, there’s very similar colors, very similar cutouts. You know, if you’ve seen Billy live, he’s the fucking man… …That’s the new music that fell into ‘Always Have [Always Will].’ As much as it was influenced by the past, that energy was because of these guys.”

The cover for “Always Have, Always Will” (left). The cover for “Onwards and Upwards” (right).

Their new single evokes images of pop bands of the past, with matching suits, hammering out hits in a garage. Their writing process perhaps isn’t too far off from this, evolving from individual efforts to developing entire songs as a collective. With the recent advantage of living together, the process has become easier for the group to write in an ensemble. Still, each of the bandmates recognize each other's skills and expertise in different areas.

Cooper Lang was deemed by his fellow bandmates as “the melody maker” responsible for many ear-worm moments on their latest single, as a writer of both vocal and instrumental melodies. LaBella, however, is the poet of the group. It was him who wrote the lyrics for “Always Have Always Will”, giving sound to an energetic spirit. LaBella wants fans to know what their new single is really about:

“It’s not that deep. We want to have a positive message. As much as we like to be dark and sexy, and all that, our message is: Always have, always will, follow the way that you feel. Follow that. You know what I mean? You do it. We’re doing it. That’s it.”

The energy LaBella was referring to was felt by every occupant in the Mudpit last Saturday. An electric current seemed to bounce around the room as Lang, LaBella, and Franze moved from instrument to instrument, each taking a turn at bass and guitar throughout their set while Weisz held down the fort on drums.

All of the evidence suggests that Rhodes Corduroy is only beginning to hit its stride. Despite having less than a handful of singles to their name, their potential both individually and as a band is enormous. As capable of getting a crowd revved over classic songs as their own, Rhodes Corduroy is here to stay. On campus or off.

Rhodes Corduroy Honors Inspirations, Debuts New Single at The Mudpit