Raised on TV’s Fernando Is a Brilliant Blend of West Coast Chill and East Coast Feel

4.5 out of 5 stars

I first got exposed to Raised on TV in January of this year, and since then, I have become a big fan. Their sound is reminiscent of The Shins mixed with Jimmy Eat World, and in some songs bring sounds of Silversun Pickups into the fold.

Of course, when you listen to their music, you won’t say they sound like any of those bands per se. It’s just the subtleties that you can use to draw a comparison.

Their new album Fernando is an indie-rock gem that should be pumping on radio stations across America, but, of course, it’s not how good you are that determines how many people hear your music. It’s how “connected” you are that will get you airplay.

So, while you won’t likely hear Raised on TV on mainstream radio this year or next, you can check it out on Spotify and other streaming platforms to indulge in a really fun rock album.

The album’s title comes from the name of the valley where the band originates (San Fernando Valley in Southern California), and is the first album in their catalog that deviates from their television-related naming convention - as the first two albums were called Season 1 and Season 2.

My favorite song on the album is probably “Helium” as it is uptempo and fun, and lead singer Keaton Rogers somehow rhymes “again” with “helium” even though, as an educator, he knows DAMN well that those two words don’t rhyme! Ha. I kid. He makes it work, and the song is a lot of fun.

I would say that “Mess I Made” and “In The Valley” are probably my next favorite songs on the album even though I truly like them all. Those two are just really catchy with some guitar riffs that stand out.

“Like a Drug” is a definite winner as well. It’s got a bit of a heavier sound to it which I always like, and the bassline that rumbles through it is great.

It’s even more impressive knowing that the band didn’t actually have a bass player during the recording (and still don’t as of this writing). 

I do find the first half of the album a bit more subdued than the second half, but the songs are all still good. It is almost like it builds up as it goes, and then sort of comes back down with the last song “Lake Song” which is a more melodic song that definitely has a laid back verse but kicks into high gear for the chorus.

I would highly recommend this album as well as the rest of their music, and I definitely recommend checking them out live if you live in the Los Angeles area.

They are incredibly talented and full of energy. They are independent musicians who are not signed to a label either. So, the best way they get support is from people willing to take a chance on something new and unknown.

Be that person and give this band a chance. I don’t think you’ll regret it.