Bobby Shock Takes Us to the Cool Side of the Moon on “The Unforeseen”
Shock’s newest record, The Unforeseen, features unrepentant love for the prog rock of the 1970s. If you’re in the know, you’ll hear the familiar sounds of Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd, and Yes amongst others. But, it’s the way that Shock twists those sounds and makes them his own that is truly remarkable.
“Nothing else can cause you pain
But the chemical imbalance inside your brain”
These days, it’s a rare occurrence when I hear a band or artist and think, “Wow, I haven’t heard anything like this.” In the internet age, it’s easy to think I’ve heard it all. Every once and a while, though, something comes across my metaphorical desk that is truly mind-blowing. Good people, please allow me to introduce you to Bobby Shock from New Jersey.
Shock’s newest record, The Unforeseen, features unrepentant love for the prog rock of the 1970s. If you’re in the know, you’ll hear the familiar sounds of Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd, and Yes amongst others. But, it’s the way that Shock twists those sounds and makes them his own that is truly remarkable. Despite this being a prog rock record, Shock seems primarily concerned with melody. The first song, “Mr. Unsatisfied,” has a very Beatles-influenced melody that will circle around your brain for weeks. Likewise, there’s a disco groove on songs like “Bandwagon.” While Shock wears the prog rock influence on his sleeve, he’s got the whole of the American rock and roll canon up his sleeve.
And the icing on the cake is that Shock is also one of the meanest bass players I have heard in a long while. He scatters amazing, nuanced basslines throughout the songs on The Unforeseen. I could go on gushing about this record, but I think it’s best if you listen for yourself…
Check out the full stream of The Unforeseen below, and then watch our exclusive interview with Mr. Shock himself!