ROCKET, R IS FOR ROCKET

Vocalist and bassist Alithea Tuttle, guitarist Desi Scaglione, guitarist Baron Rinzler, and drummer Cooper Ladomade first met as kids. Tuttle and Ladomade go back to preschool, and by high school, all four were attending shows at the Smell, the city’s famed all-ages venue. It wasn’t until the pandemic that they began making music as a group, sparked by Tuttle’s collaboration with Scaglione. What began as private sessions between two longtime partners quickly evolved once Rinzler and Ladomade joined in. Within months, Rocket was writing, rehearsing, and finding their sound.

The band has now released their debut album, R Is for Rocket. With distortion-heavy guitars meeting Tuttle’s melodic, dreamlike vocals, their music carries echoes of the 1990s alternative, grunge, and shoegaze scenes they grew up admiring, where bite, volume, and warmth converge. It’s a quality that’s earned them comparisons to Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, and My Bloody Valentine.

Each member brought their own reference point to the record, shaping its range and texture. For Tuttle, it was Juliana Hatfield’s Only Everything, a key influence “melodically and lyrically,” and a reminder of “a woman making guitar-heavy and forward music.” For Ladomade, it was Supergrass’s In It for the Money, a “very drum-heavy record” that pushed her to experiment in the studio and try fills outside her comfort zone. For Rinzler, it was XTC’s Skylarking, celebrated for Andy Partridge’s inventive guitar work and its offbeat mix of hooks and experimentation. “it sounds cool, it’s weird and fun and catchy, but also interesting,” he said. And for Scaglione, it was Lilys’ Eccsame the Photon Band, admired for its production and atmosphere, its “great guitar playing, cool loops, and really cool drum sound.”

There’s a familiarity to Rocket’s music that feels instantly welcoming, a sound that stirs nostalgia for all the albums referenced here and more. Yet what makes R Is for Rocket stand out is how they’ve taken those influences and shaped them into something their own. This is a band with a whole lot of talent, and they’ve delivered a debut album that's confident and strong from start to finish.