Music & Writing | Ramune
After releasing my first album solo album in 2011, I was inspired to start a rock band. My brother, Vytas, who is a professional bass player and songwriter helped me recruit band mates and prepare for gigging. We debuted at the GRRRLZ ROCK festival in December 2011 with Anshu Roy on drums. Later we recruited drummer Andrew Anymouse on Craigslist. Rocket 3, as we started calling ourselves, consisted of me, Vytas, and Andrew. We played our first gig with this lineup in April 2012 at a now defunct place called Pop Culture. Vytas played with us for about 50 gigs in our first year before he stopped due to his increasing family commitments. Andrew and I played as a duo for a while, until we found Tony Guzman, a six string bass player, to join us. Tony played with us when we recorded and released our debut album, Burn, in 2014. Songwriter and bass player, Kenneth Foust, joined the band in summer of 2015. In 2018 Gavin Duffy began sitting in on keys and saxophone and was featured on our sophomore album, What's the Frequency? The current lineup includes Jake Cantrell on drums and Allen Bodin on bass.
Burn, our debut album, reached #76 in the CMJ college radio charts in 2014. The album, produced by Matt Jefferson, earned critical acclaim and comparisons to Belly, Blake Babies, and the Breeders. We are proud to have raised over $5000 for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life with sales from Burn. The track, I See, was chosen for the PDX Pop Now Compilation in 2017. The title of our sophomore album, “What’s the Frequency?”, was a nod to the R.E.M song and to our bass player, Kenneth, who wrote several songs on the album. WTF? was the 17th most added album in its debut week in 2018 (ahead of Shaggy and Sting), has been played on more than 55 college radio stations, and charted in the top 30 on 11 of them. We released a single, Everybody's Doing It, in 2019.
We have several professional music videos, filmed by James Dineen and Jason Driver, including one that was filmed with the Portland Renegade Roller Derby.
We've played hundreds of gigs and some of the highlights include playing at the Oregon Convention Center, the Astoria Crab and Wine Festival, the Local Roots Showcase, Sessions from the Box, and on Salem's CCTV television station.
More info and album reviews can be found on www.rocket3music.com.
Upcoming gigs are posted on facebook.
Rocket 3 music can be streamed on:
Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Pandora, Spotify, Amazon, iTunes, CDBaby,
"A beautiful pop valentine"
"If the world is gettin' ya down, this will fix you right up."
-Marc Phillips, The Vinyl Anachronist
"What’s the Frequency? is an overall perfect album- from the jingle-jangely opening track “I Choose Love”, right down to the closing track that is all about goodbyes known as “Evershine.”
-Ron Trembath, Trainwreck'd Society
"Catchy, effortlessly enjoyable"
"Breezy, totally charming indie pop"
-Matt Dinaro, Rock and Roll Portland OR
"Easily find their way into your musical heart" -JP's music blog
"It's rare that a band can produce so many songs that have universal appeal" -Gary Schwind, AXS
ELEVEN PDX
Based on their melodic new album Burn, Rocket 3 is the kind of group that would have been ... sandwiched between Belly and They Might Be Giants. In fact, fans of Tanya Donelly who pine for the simple, clean pop of “Feed The Tree” would find a lot to like in Burn...Ramune Nagisetty’s vocals are just this side of delicate, ranging from the straightforward rock of Kristin Hersh to the breathy ethereality of Miki from Lush. Her voice works well with the band’s chunky pop-rock; her guitar... There are no gimmicks here, just solid, straightforward,refreshing, fun pop songs.
Eugene Weekly
"Rocket 3's songs are simple, direct, pop-inflected rock songs that are compulsively likeable. The guitars are fuzzy and occasionally psychedelic, Nagisetty's voice is gentle and dreamy and the drums are punchy and aggressive— recalling influences like The Shins, Veruca Salt and My Bloody Valentine."
Willamette Week
The three-piece frequently nods toward its influences, with covers of the Velvet Underground, the Sex Pistols and My Bloody Valentine making their way onto the tracklist. Interspersed throughout, though, are standout originals that trade the "stuck-in-the-garage feeling" for that of reflective outdoor adventures. Take, for instance, "Catch Me," a track shaped by easy, breezy harmonies, a bouncy, almost surf melody and hopeful lyrics of new love. Then there's "Mountain Song," which floats along like a melancholy lullaby, riding gentle waves of minimal guitar, Nagisetty's heartbreaking croon and imagery of mountains and stars.
Performer Magazine
...with atmospheric vocals, chirping guitars and '90s college rock in its veins, Rocket 3 conjures the alternative grungy Pacific Northwest specter with their guitar-fronted hooks and carefree, charmingly imperfect songwriting. Burn recalls '90s alt staples Belly, Beat Happening and the Breeders... Rocket 3 charms with fearless attitude and historic reflection.
More info can be found on the Rocket 3 website.
