Restless Streets: Together

Written by Robin Ervolina
Restless Streets premiered the video for “Wrong Kids” yesterday and…it crushed me. Truth be told, I pressed pause to collect myself more than once. If you've lost someone to drugs or alcohol, you're painfully familiar with the barren wasteland in your heart where their light once resided. Facebook’s anniversary feed is all I have left of my sweet friend. I miss her jokes. I miss her laugh. I miss knowing I could say anything to her, any time I wanted. 

What would you say to someone you loved and lost if they could hear you now?

Melodic rock outfit Restless Streets hails from Albany, NY. I was fortunate to sneak a listen to their upcoming EP Together, which is set to release April 28, 2017. Their songs are intensely personal, and within the tales of their lives are snippets of lines speaking universal truths. Logan Carpenter (vocals) delivers those lyrics with a pleading tone that infuses genuineness and gentleness to this EP.
The first track, “A Little More Us” introduces a slightly softer sound for Restless Streets. Their previous track “In Vogue” was textbook post hardcore, whereas this song is ambient and hypnotic. If you've ever wondered if the person you're spending time with is worth it, this song is easily relatable. “Roots Dig In” takes this chore sound to a different level, playing with dissonance and asymmetry, resolving the metric and melodic conflicts at just the perfect moment. The mixing on this track lends to the fullness of the message of perseverance. It also contains one of my favorite lines in the entire CD: "If you open your book, then I plan to read it." One of the most charming tracks in Together is “Twin Flame,” a ballad about a chance meeting with someone you’re instantly connected to. Kudos again to the sound engineers and producers who played with fading vocals to create a dreamy auditory manifestation of the tale RS tells. 
This brings us to “Wrong Kids,” the track that started it all for me. The band shares:

"Wrong Kids” is a song that deals with the loss of a loved one, specifically to drugs. The song talks about how someone can be alive, yet completely absent from your life due to their bad habits. A lot of the lyrics are a direct conversation with a loved one that succumbed to an overdose. We talk about the lasting effects this can have on the people that are forced to move on with their lives, and find peace without one of their most prized, and important friendships.

Recovering from this tune takes some time, but “Glow” helps. Restless Streets produce the most gorgeous sound environments, and Logan’s baritone burrows deep into my chest. Closing out the CD are two more beautiful compositions, “Drive Fast” and “Dreamers.” There are no winners or losers for Together.  A cursory listen will endear you to their ambience and further listens will uncover their lives. Together is a must-have for your 2017 music library.
Together will release in a few weeks, but while you wait, I suggest you head over to bandcamp where you can download, for free, their 5-song EP We Had It Perfect. The acoustic set is simply gorgeous and I believe showcases the wide range of Restless Streets. I would urge you to go iTunes and download “Wrong Kids” directly. All proceeds from the iTunes sales off "Wrong Kids" go to HERO, and organization focused on ending the heroin epidemic and aiding families and friends of those affected by the disease of addiction. If you’re lucky enough to be in the area, Restless Streets will be playing at Lucky Strike Social in Guilderland, NY on 6/2. 

Restless Streets is:
Logan Carpenter - Vocals
Brandon John - Guitar
John Alund - Bass
Brian Nellis - Keys
Aaron Uline - Drums
Band Twitter - @restlessstreets
Band Instagram - @restlessstreets