Praise the good lord baby jebus, a rock song has arisen from the synthesized ashes of Brooklyn. While easily discernible from a Southern rock anthem, guitar rock power ballad, rock opera, or hard rock mosh-pit thrasher, “Habits” still deserves that epic four letter word within its genre title. Regardless of the descriptive property attached to said moniker or made-up subcategory created for it by its modern flair, “Habits” has multiple aspects of good ol’ fashioned rock. Three such elements ignite the spark of this new school explosion: the keyboard, the build-up, and the wailing voice of Andrew Balasia.
Tough these days to find keyboard-driven songs that are best played with volume at max capacity. Or a song in general, predominant keys or not, that may be better with the high-tech headphones off rather than on. Fuck Dr. Dre. From the first notes this track offers, no effort is spared on any keystroke. Those are power chords, deliberate in their pace and simplicity – and volume. Back and forth they fight and drive the rising surge of the surrounding instruments (an impressive feat for a solo project). Such a build-up is refreshing when left nearly unimpaired by over-powering bass and robotic synthesizer. Instead the rise in hi-hat driven percussion allows for the keys to flourish rather than drown, providing an avenue wide enough for the shoutable lyrics of “Habits”. The final third of the song puts the whole package together and is worth a listen.
Andrew Balasia knows how to get into it. That’s a tough task for a one-man band, which is apparent in the majority his music. Named after the golden retriever present in the room while he records, Gracie possesses a mostly subdued, Brooklyn-chill feel. Yet with “Habits,” Balasia shows that recording alone in his bedroom can allow the dirtier rock of his Philadelphia roots to peer out from within. Alone, of course, except for Gracie.