The Orange Constant is a rock band from Athens, Georgia that features an eclectic psychedelic, new wave, and classic rock sound. Originating in Statesboro, Georgia, the quintet recently released their sophomore effort: Point of Reference. The album embodies the band’s essence with progressive grooves, catchy choruses, and evocative lyrical content. Let’s take a closer look at their latest project with a track by track breakdown.

Float

The opening track starts with an ethereal and melancholy guitar groove. Drums soon lay a haunting foundation to the song with light floor toms as the low end enters with a relaxed bass line. The song develops with a melodic guitar line but quickly shifts to a new progression. With washy and flanging drums, vocals enter with melancholy and reflective lyrical content.

Float is the longest song on POR and embodies the best the band has to offer: progressive arrangements that keep you on your toes maintained with a solid pop aesthetic. The lead singer, Andrew Brantley, perfectly adjusts to each section while lamenting a consistent lyrical theme: a desire for connection and freedom.

Something We Can Use

The explosive first single off The Orange Constant’s most recent release features driving rock and leads with a catchy, melodic motif played by lead guitarist, Nickalous Benson. The tight single features swelling horns that give body in conjunction with spacious guitar and keyboard parts.

Fortunate

This is a melancholy track that opens with a spacey electric keyboard. The stripped down track features Brantley confessing about past misfortune. A haunting minor melody glues the song together as keyboardist, Chris Freiberg, fills space with ethereal fills. “Fortunate” is one of the bands more seminal tracks and showcases the best of each member: reflective lyrical content, groovy bass lines, and spacious guitar work.

 Sir Martin

This track comes out with some fine stank. A Memphis-style blues riff performed with a fuzzy flat tone hooks the listener. The song builds a swampy groove and drops into something a little different. The Rhodes creates whimsical dimension as the guitar crawls on the track like a tarantula. The bass holds it down as Brantley moans about women, martinis, and lust. I love this track and it reminds me of Zeppelin 3 vibes.

The Fountain

Half way through the album we hit my favorite track and one of the band’s new singles: “The Fountain.” This catchy song has amazing instrumentation. Classical-guitar lines, Moog leads hanging in the clouds, and horns that give depth and dimension. Listen to the track and check out their music video.

Point of Reference

I take it back — this is my favorite song on the album. This gorgeous tune opens with a droning bass line. A shimmering and tremelo-affected guitar tone creates a 90’s vibe as a clean piano adds harmonic accompaniment. The bridge breaks down to a grooving ambient jam that feels like camping in a mythical forest. It sounds like peyote or some kind of hallucinogenic cactus.

Ego Chatter

This modern jah-music jam is a fusion of reggae and indie rock. A solid horn section rounds out this tune with great fills and melodic passages. It drives home with a phased out chorus that briefly takes you to a Pink-Floydian realm. (It also has a sax solo, so you know.) This eclectic pop tune is a hodgepodge of genres and delivers.

Starting to Show

A dreary jam about a struggling relationship, this song showcases Brantley’s vocal talent. Reverberating keyboards fill space and pulsating guitars add layers of dimension to this subtle arrangement. I love the lax jam section half way through the song.

Red Ryder

We finish the album with a bluesy track that slides in with Delta-style, blues guitar. The rhythm section makes it as bassist, Tyler Walker, fills space with harmonic overtones while Freiberg clarifies the harmony with heavenly suspension on the Rhodes. It features Benson going in with slippery guitar licks followed by a lovely keys solo from Freiberg. This is modern rock at its finest, but it’s still rooted in dat swamp blue’.

Overall Review: 9/10

Point of Reference delivers with a variety of tunes spawned from a wide range of musical influences. The Athens-based group is currently touring its new album, which is available on all major streaming services.

Rock is dead in a lot of ways. Rap and dumpster pop tunes dominate the charts. However, relevant rock bands making it today have something in common: they do their own thing. Whether it’s Mastodon, Tame Impala, Umphrey’s McGee, or The Orange Constant, they all pull from a variety of influences to craft innovative new music for us to enjoy. Rock is still kicking and The Orange Constant is definitely along for the ride.