THE BITES – Squeeze (2023)
”Squeeze” is the debut album from Hollywood’s new bad boys of party Rock n Roll: THE BITES. Primed to drop jaws with their monster hybrid of classic rock rhythms, stadium-ready choruses, unashamedly retro style and, above all, their dedication to making every live show an undeniable excuse to party, ‘Squeeze’ will be ready for rock fans to sink their teeth into during 2023.
The band resurrects the style, hop and swagger of classic rock’n’roll, displaying the no-nonsense attitude of The Darkness and the sheer recklessness of Motley Crue. Fans of new rockers Greta Van Fleet, Dirty Honey and The Struts will also delight in the emergence of The Bites, but also Tuff, Faster Pussycat and more.
The Bites hails from Hollywood – to be honest, even if they weren’t, they’d probably think they were – and damn, they’re rock stars. However, “Squeeze” is far from superficial; every word they sing they’ve waited for all their lives I reckon.
Opener “Knockin’ On The Door” transports us back in time, conjuring vivid images of spandex and big hair, though regrettably absent in The Bites.
Having watched his profile on TikTok (@jordantylerbites) blow up, with over 2.2 million likes amassed on his music-obsessing ‘Toks and classic rock covers, frontman Jordan Tyler felt compelled to follow his true passion of creating original music and so he founded The Bites with LA drummer, producer and long-time friend Mark Hylander. The duo are joined by guitarists Dustin Coon and Jono Richer, and bassist Zack Currier to round out the sound.
“Putting this record, ‘Squeeze’, together, I really wanted to create something timeless. The stigma of “rock is dead” has been so blown out of proportion. All the music we grew up with from the rock legends of the 60s, 70s and 80s, we’ve heard over and over again to the point where it’s become a part of us.
We want to give fans something special with ‘Squeeze’, when you hear this album in full, for the first time, hopefully it’ll give you the excitement and joy of albums that you’ve been listening to for decades” Jordan testifies.
“Pretty Boys” maintains the retro vibe, delivering a boogie that could rival Faster Pussycat. Cocaine and Pretty Boys take center stage in this gritty anthem. “Love Affair” follows suit, with lyrics dripping with desire and longing, as if imploring, “I want you and I need you, and I could treat you better than he does.”
Now, “Heather Leather” charges in. Firstly, it resonates with the early Cinderella sound, and secondly, the band appears to be having more fun than any of us.
“Wild Animal” doesn’t hold back, displaying the same lack of subtlety as Tuff (kudos if you remember them). “She only comes at night,” they boldly proclaim, without bothering with a double entendre. But it’s as sleazy as can be and surpasses anything Motley has done in the last 15 years.
“Bad Bad” (because, of course, they are; nice boys don’t play rock ‘n’ roll). The rebellion in their sound is undeniable. “Squeeze,” as expected, serves as the blues ballad, following the tradition that albums like this have long held.
They shine when delivering tracks like “Good Love,” which transports us back to the glory days of glam rock, evoking T-Rex, and leaves us with no option but to surrender to sheer enjoyment. “Cold Clean Lady” sounds as hot and filthy as the best rock anthems should.
“Do Me A Favor,” let’s be honest, is drenched in AC/DC vibes, channeling the spirit of “Let There Be Rock.” And who cares if it’s familiar? It’s a testament to their prowess. “Dirty City” wraps it all up, portraying a world where the girls are pretty, and the band eagerly awaits their moment on stage. All’s well in this rock ‘n’ roll realm.
In conclusion, don’t overanalyze it. Yes, you can be cynical if you want, but why bother? I grew up with this stuff. I grew up wanting to be in a band like this.
The five young dudes in The Bites are living their dreams, and they’re living ours too. Just party like it’s 1986. Grunge was meant to kill it, but rock ‘n’ roll will never die.
Highly Recommended
01 – Knockin’ on the Door
02 – Pretty Boys
03 – Love Affair
04 – Heather Leather
05 – Wild Animal
06 – Bad Bad
07 – Squeeze
08 – Good Love
09 – Cold Clean Lady
10 – Do Me a Favor
Jordan Tyler – vocals
Mark Hylander – drums
Dustin Coon – guitar
Jono Richer – guitar
Zack Currier – bass
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