Looking back at Rearview Mirror

The dimly-lit red lights surrounding the stage at Bluebird Nightclub on Thursday night glistened off the foreheads of rock quartet Rearview Mirror as it prepared to delve into its 11-song set of driving hard rock for a crowd of less than 50 people.\n"Welcome, everyone," lead singer Adam Ptacek said with a sarcastic grin, just prior to the opening of his band's hour-long performance.\nBut despite a small showing from the Bluebird crowd, Rearview Mirror performed as if it was in an arena-sized venue filled to capacity. Three songs into its performance, it was clear the Northeast Iowa band was fully aware of the essentials needed for a solid hard rock set.\nGuitarist Matt Olson's smooth blend of heavy, power chord-driven riffs and Foo Fighter-esque note progression paved the way in the song "Slave," while Jason Ptacek's (Adam's brother) bass lines added for an excellent rhythm section.\nMidway through the performance, the band belted out "In the beginning," the first single off its new album All Lights Off, scheduled for release in June. Steve Lillywhite, whose resume includes work with both U2 and the Dave Matthews Band, produced the seven-song EP on his new label, Gobbstopper Records.\nAdam Ptacek's moody lyricism, combined with his ability to sing like Staind's Aaron Lewis and scream like Tool's Maynard James Keenan, really gave "In the beginning" a big boost.\nAs Rearview Mirror continued to blast its way though its set, I noticed how well the band merged different styles of rock into its music. By fusing both melodic guitar work and the hard, aggressive edge of rock, Rearview Mirror establishes a very accessible sound that could easily be heard on any local rock station.\nIn dark and emotional "City Walls," Adam Ptacek lay hunched on the ground, microphone held closely to his face while his wavy brown hair hung over his eyes. But as soon as drummer T.J. Kammer came crashing in on the drums, he was up again, slamming his feet on the stage as his bandmates rocked out with him.\nThe more I looked at frontman Adam Ptacek, the more I kept thinking of Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. Both Ptacek's singing style and body movements echoed an Eddie Vedder not seen since the early '90s. Interestingly enough, after a little research I discovered Rearview Mirror's name came from a Pearl Jam song. It's true that there are more mainstream bands who have taken the same approach to their frontman persona. But in Rearview Mirror's case, it seems more refreshing to hear it knowing the guys are in this for the music.\nIn a music world where there are almost too many rock bands making records that all sound the same, it's nice to listen to a band like Rearview Mirror. The pure emotion and fresh energy it brings to the table gives them a lot of hope for the future.\nFor more info on the band, its lyrics and their touring info, check out their Web site at www.rvmonline.com.