The Roomsounds introduced their just released album, Elm St., to a small but enthusiastic audience at The Basement on a rainy Easter evening. The Texas band, via their musical beginnings in their native Connecticut, lives, breathes and dresses old time rock ‘n roll. Their look is vintage, and their sound is modern but classic, all at the same time. They opened their Nashville show with “Take It All Wrong,” followed by “Don’t Give Up On Me,” both original tunes that definitely took the audience to the time of the band’s heroes, Keith Richards and Tom Petty. It also let them know that good time rock ‘n roll is alive and well today through bands like the Roomsounds, who say they find so much more authenticity in that era of music.

The hour-long set really kicked into high gear around mid-hour as the band went into “Bad Situation” and kept that new intensity throughout the rest of the show with other new tunes including “What Do I Gotta Do?” and “Don’t Give Up On Me.” In the tune “I Lay My Head Down,” they sing “Rock and roll won’t save my soul,” although their obvious love for what they do belies the words they sing. They introduced the title cut of their album, “Elm St.,” which is a tribute to Elm St. in Deep Ellum, Texas, where the band found its home as far as settling into their current style after moving south to be closer to the blues and country that also streams through their music. The musicianship is excellent, and the songs, all original to the band, are obviously drawn from their musical heritage as well as their own search for their unique sound that has evolved since their debut album in 2012. Band members are singer and guitarist Ryan Michael, guitarist/vocalist Sam Janik, bassist/vocalist Red Coker and drummer Dan Malone.

-Vernell Hackett