Roach

Based in Toronto, Canada, Roach performs as a four-piece in an alternative register that mixes emo rock, power pop, grunge and psychedelic touches. Roach describes his music as multifaceted, and that idea is evident in songs where rough guitars, more direct melodies and an indie-rock–inherited tension coexist without settling into a single aesthetic. Rooted in Toronto’s local scene, Roach has built himself up through venues and shared bills, opening for Bif Naked, PUP and Speedy Ortiz — three reference points that place his territory between punk energy, indie songwriting and a taste for contrast. Roach’s sound remains attached to a kind of melodic nervousness, with clear rock structures, sometimes denser textures and a fondness for dynamic shifts. Through this blend, Roach situates himself within a contemporary alternative lineage nourished as much by 1990s rock as by a more current approach to electric songwriting.