Des Rocs has been saying from the beginning that he’s the future of rock ‘n’ roll. With This Is Our Life, the passion project and musical battering ram of our favorite New York rocker takes a massive leap in the direction of that lofty statement. 

As a relatively new solo endeavor, Des Rocs has worked tirelessly to craft the most gritty and genuine tunes meant for exploding the hearts and minds of every listener he wins over. Upon first listen, This Is Our Life was chills-inducing- a visceral reaction to music that is meant for so much more than just a stereo. Des has never held back emotion in his music and he comes right out of the gate with “POS” before the foot-stomping title track. 

Every song is a gut punch, but “Nothing Personal” is the first kick in the teeth and one can almost hear the sound of future arenas screaming high and loud enough to reach the ceiling. “Nothing Personal” evokes all of Des’ classic influences with touches of Foxy Shazam and My Chemical Romance-esque theatricality. 

The EP concludes with “Pieces” and “Suicide Romantics” where- perhaps for the first time- we see Des hold back just a little bit as the melancholia of the song resonates even deeper. Listeners who find themselves in the possession of a physical copy will also hear a special bonus track. If we’re being honest, putting the absolute banger that is “Love and a Smoking Gun” at the end is a truly devil-may-care power move (trust me, hearing this song is entirely worth it). 

Des Rocs has always been vocal about his plethora of inspirations and you can hear all of them bleeding through this EP, but, at the end of the day, This Is Our Life is pure Des. He’s a one of a kind artist, taking the sounds of his formative years and creating a powerful new take on an ever-changing genre. The EP demands attention from beginning to end- play it loudly, unapologetically and get ready to scream when Des returns to the stage. 

Story by Olivia Khiel
Photo by Taylor Gilliam