They say that the eyes are the window of the soul, but home movies work just as well, especially if they were recorded before Y2K. Unlike nostalgia that can gloss over the bad parts, home movies remind us of the dark undercurrents of our upbringings as well as the fact that adults were imperfect creatures who often were trying their best.
The good, the bad, and the awful outfits that your one aunt handmade for you. It was all there. Much like a radio station with a mediocre playlist in the ’90s, you had to take it all in, especially if you grew up in the middle of nowhere. Lansing’s Rodeo Boys excel at the sort of grainy memories that illuminated my Midwest upbringing, with a sound that recalls just about all the music I heard growing up. Eighties metal, classic blues rock, country, Americana, grunge, and good ol’ indie pop all play nice in this sandbox, resulting in a record that’s eclectic yet cohesive. Self-labeled queer rock, Rodeo Boys are as much about found family as they are a reckoning on a past that wasn’t always rosy. I couldn’t help but notice hints of personal childhood favorite ZZ Top, and that is just a smidge of the influences that led to Home Movies, as they share:
“We love ZZ Top. We just realized that all of our inspiration comes from growing up in po dunk towns in really rural parts of Michigan and having no escape other than the radio. It can be extremely isolating, especially if you have a rough home life. We have a really strong bond that goes far beyond just playing music together. There’s a lot of love and respect that really shines through in our live performances.”
Home Movies is available from Don Giovanni Records. Follow Rodeo Boys on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Photo courtesy of Rodeo Boys
