Bobby and the Crew – SCREAMING COMMANDER (Single Review)

“SCREAMING COMMANDER” is the new single from Norwegian pop-rock band Bobby and the Crew. Having never heard of the band, I was all the more intrigued to see what they were all about. In my research, I took the time to listen to a couple of their other singles, among which were “Prince of Charm, “He Doesn’t Know”, and “Conqueror of Love”. I was struck by how different each of these songs was, and this point was further proven by “SCREAMING COMMANDER”.

The song starts with arpeggiating synths that are present throughout its runtime, with another acting as a melody before the vocals take over. Using arpeggios as the foundation of your song is a big risk, as it can be seen as tacky and lazy, but I believe it serves the track well and compliments the rest of the elements throughout. There are also guitar riffs, well placed when needed and well mixed to maintain the atmosphere of the song. However, the song could’ve benefitted from a bit more variation, especially on guitar, to make it more interesting.

Thematically, the song speaks of a woman, the “screaming commander”, who wants to get back with her boyfriend after messing up the relationship. The chorus of “Baby, come back into my life”, which is admittedly catchy, exemplifies this point. It’s a nice energetic meditation on self-reflection, and how we desperately wish to reconcile with the loved ones we hurt. The lyrics itself aren’t very profound though, and there isn’t much to begin with, which I think is a missed opportunity by the band. There is a spoken word section in the song after the second round of verses and chorus that I thought wasn’t necessary, as it didn’t add anything new or interesting, though I understand that it was made with the best intentions.

I wish I had the singer’s name, but she has a nice voice that fits in well with the airy atmosphere of the song.

SCORE/Good: Out of the few songs that Bobby and the Crew have released, I believe “SCREAMING COMMANDER” is their most interesting. Sure, it’s pretty simple and formulaic, but there is passion and effort behind the scenes that I find to be very much present. My advise to the band would be to continue experimenting and growing their sound, along with putting themselves out there more and investing in promoting material. I hope to be reviewing another song from them soon.

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