Review by Xephyr for Static Dress - Rouge Carpet Disaster (2022)

Your Favorite Childhood Candy Bar

Rouge Carpet Disaster, as already said by many, is nostalgia baiting perfection. If you were someone who listened to the near inescapable angsty Metalcore/Post-Hardcore of the early and mid 2000's, Static Dress may feel like a warm hug or a home cooked meal. They're able to rise above simplistic mimicking, though, as they add a noisy element that's prevalent in the current Shoegaze/Emo scene to give them a fuller and more interesting sound that pairs well with the Post-Hardcore riffing. "Fleahouse" is a perfect opener that instantly makes a statement of what the listener is in for, which is a mix of Metalcore screams and catchy clean-vocal choruses that never manage to sound too whiny to my ears. The energy through the first three tracks as they nail some fantastic transitions is palpable, with "Push Rope" being one of my personal favorites. Static Dress then pump the breaks a little for songs like "attempt 8", "such.a.shame", and the admittedly pretty "marisol", but resume their normal programming for everything in-between. 

When I was first recommended this album last year I didn't think too much of it, but after many listens it's slowly found its way into my normal rotation. I'm not the biggest fan of the band's softer material, but even the less memorable cuts like "Di-sinTer" or "Lye Solution" have some killer riffs and fun choruses in the moment. The vocals have just the right amount of edge and balance between harsh and clean for me, although I think they're a little rough around the edges on the ballads or softer sections. The second half of the album leaves a bit to be desired, with the closing "Cubicle Dialogue" always being on the weak side for me. 

There's a twist here, though; I have zero nostalgia for this kind of stuff. I grew up in the right time frame, but never got into any of the bands others will point to when talking about Static Dress' influences. So, at least from my perspective, Rouge Carpet Disaster is far from being purely fueled by nostalgia and stands on its own remarkably well. The ballad sections definitely aren't my thing and the Metalcore leanings eventually get a bit old, especially on the second half, but I've come around on "marisol" enough to say that it's not a total dud. So even though Static Dress desperately wants to transport the listener back to 2005, I think there's still plenty of merit for them in 2022.