Beginning the new decade we’ll all be in search of a great sound we can wrap our audible arms around. Something to carry us forth with vigor and promise.

To do so, however, we must look back at the last; at least, a couple of months back.

Orbiting the same universe as early Strokes, deep Queens of the Stone Age, and The Hives, Carver Commodore’s Tell Me What You Want erupts in sonic optimism while delivering such dangerously deep hooks, if they were flavored they’d be banned by the FDA.

The, at times sneering, alt-rock sound emits a sense of rock that feels hard to find these days. Hailing from Florence, Alabama, Payton Pruitt, Phillip Blevins, Daniel Clark, and Noah Freeman answer the question “what happened to rock?” with their latest release.

The garage rock undertones come to life in the fallout of post-punk garage ashes in a way that makes it feel as if a new life is being breathed into rock. What’s more, in the twelve track release, at no point does anything Carver Commodore feel repetitive. Above all, the air of optimism bleeds through Tell Me What You Want. With purpose, as Phillips states, “the overarching theme of this record is that it is far better to choose Activeness over Passiveness. To do something with your dreams, rather than letting them burn and fizzle out in the back of your mind. To be honest with the ones you love, rather than letting your repressed emotions explode violently like a pressure cooker….Many artists (of all kinds) struggle with these types of afflictions, and we’re hoping to shed some positive light into their lives.”

On the cusp of a new page in history, we’re given refreshingly imaginative rock with conviction, purpose, and craftsmanship. New decade, new life, Tell Me What You Want drips with on-the-floor rock that electrifies on every level and delivers on its promise. This is the kind of rock you ride with. For your safety, let Carver Commodore drive.

Greg is a co-founder and regular contributor of Nanobot Rock.