Rover Rover's "Nowhere To Go" Is The Product of Idle Hands

Rover Rover exists in a space between nostalgic prog rock and dream pop. Consisting of Josh Nussbaum, Matt Keppler, Conner Saltzer, and Nick Perri, the band dropped their first single since 2017’s “Patch of Dirt.” While that was a 6-minute progressive and atmospheric track that leans heavily into their alternative roots, 2020’s “Nowhere To Go” defies nearly all of those initial genres Rover Rover established. Considering quite some time has passed, it’s only natural that there were various shifts in direction. This new release is a lighter look at what the brain does with too much time on its hands.

The whole vibe of this song is one of ease. It kicks off with an instantly catchy guitar riff reminiscent of something adjacent to easy basement grunge. The vocals rest in a comfortable monotone, which is probably an intentional parallel to the procrastinatory theme of the lyrics. This song seems pretty fitting right now considering the state that we’re all in. When you’re stuck inside all day, it’s easy to fall into a manic state of productivity, or forgo all your responsibilities and stay on your couch, which Rover Rover is leaning towards.

Despite the longevity of the lax tone most of the song takes, there’s an intense energy shift near the halfway mark, with an agitated guitar breakdown that echoes the inevitable restlessness that even the most content feel after procrastinating for too long. However, the energy dips back down and picks up another verse, with more lyrics that shrug off the electricity and slip back into a comfortable isolation. The lyrics are just all-too topical, and if you listen closely, they’ll surely parallel whatever you’re doing right now, because I’m currently writing this in sweatpants on my own couch.

If you had the chance to buy “Nowhere To Go” yesterday on Bandcamp, the site waived 100% of its fees so artists would receive all of the profits of their sales. All shows are on hold for the time being, but hopefully more releases are on the horizon for Rover Rover.