For nearly eight years, Nashville rockers Roanoke have cultivated their mystic sound. Blends of the shimmering power ballads of the 70s and 80s and contemporary production and themes shine on their newly released sister songs “Selene” and “Juna’.
Supported by guitarist and backing vocalists Joey Beesley, bassist Richard Bennett, electric guitarist B.L. Reed, and frontwoman Taylor Dupuis confidently belts out the aching notes with all the bravado and raw power of a girl gone immortal.
The title track and the first song on the EP, “Selene,” is Stevie Nicks meets Chelsea Wolfe. Melancholy, wailing, and powerful, Depuis croons about a woman, lovely as the moon while just as elusive. The track’s production, more specifically the synths and chugging guitars, sounds like one has taken off from a backwoods roadhouse to go join the witch’s sabbath in the surrounding wilds. The repeating line of “you can never hold her” is both rueful as it is remorseful. It calls after the lady of the moon even after she has fled into the velvety night.
Sister song “Juna” has all the warmth and beauty of a Sunday choir illuminated by the stained glass behind them. Much like “Selene,” it is a song of worship. Revealed in the song’s title — Juna was taken from the Roman goddess Juno (known by the Greeks as Hera). Regal, radiant, and terrible as the dawn, Juna is all bombast, popping synth, and love. As Dupuis sings, “I can feel your love right now, where do I go?” Dupuis’ vocals layered with the fullness of the drums, and synths burst through the ear canal, making it almost incapacitating.
“Selene” and “Juna” are available to stream here and purchased on Bandcamp. Want more of Roanoke? Be sure to follow them on your favorite social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
