Kev Rowland From Wichita, KS, Soulicit is comprised of lead vocalist Darick Parson, guitarist Roll, bassist Kevin Parrow & drummer Trent Boehner and this is their debut album, released last year. They have been getting quite a lot of publicity, having the video for their debut single “Hell Yeah” played at 2012’s Superbowl for example. To my ears the band can be summed up in just one word, ‘Nickelback’. True, it was produced by Brett Hestla who is known for his work with Creed and one could argue that there is plenty of that band here as well, but the Canucks appear to have had the most influence. With that comment in mind, it really does then boil down to whether you enjoy that style of hard rock or not. If you do, then there is plenty here to enjoy with some singalongs, the typical power ballad, loads of ‘emotion’ and hooks aplenty. But, if you feel that Nickelback have long gone past their sell by date then this is something you need to avoid. It really is that simple.

Me, I found it an enjoyable album from start to finish without ever being essential and certainly not groundbreaking in any shape or form, but once it is on I am quite happy to let it play all the way through. www.soulicitrock.com

Time Signature Hell meh...

Genre: melodic hard rock

Soulicit have garnered a lot of attention and even played at the 2012 Super bowl. Now, this may be a big stamp of acknowledgement from the mainstream community of rock fans, but, to me, it takes more than having played at a major mainstream American sports event. The important thing to me is that the music captures me.

And it does not quite do that on Soulicit's "Parking Lot Rockstar" - at least not in all the songs on the album. The music strikes me as being quite formulaic with focus on catchy chorus hooklines and softer verses and with spirit of the power ballad permeating virtually all songs on the album, even the heavier ones.

There are some nice melodic metallic riffs and guitar leads in 'You Are the Song', which also applies to "Sticks and Stone" both of which strike me as being very good commercial hard rock songs. 'Hell Yeah' and 'Blow Me Away' both feature some hard rocking riffs and also some nice choruses (although I think that the verse of the latter comes across slightly weak). 'To Cold To Pray', a heavy gunge-informed song, and probably my favorite song on the album, is actually very convincing and also has a soulful atmosphere to it. I would actually say that this dark track is an outstanding track, and I hope that Soulicit will explore this road more in the future.

The major issue I have with this album, I must say, is the vocals, as Darick Parson's singing style generally seems too polished and, to be frank, weak in comparison to the heaviness of the music. The vocals fall very flat in hard rockers like 'Hell Yeah' and 'Blow Me Away' and come across as very generic throughout the album - especially in the very uninspiring (to me at least) pop-informed 'Beauty Queen', 'Parking Lot Rockstar' and 'It's Complicated'. In all fairness, he does an excellent job in the three last tracks of the album in which his singing has just the right degree of intensity and just the right amount of power.

I do not think that Soulicit's "Parking Lot Rockstar" is a bad album, and I definilely enjoy listening to the elements that appeal to me, but it is not the kind of hard rock album to kick my ass and make me rock out. It is simply too polished, formulaic, and generic, and contains too many pop rock elements for my taste. Still, if you are interested in heavier music but come from a pop background, then I think that this album will provide an excellent entry point to the wonderful world of hard rock and metal (and it beats Lady Gaga and all that shit on any day).