Northern National "Slow Down" Song Review
By Ky Kasselman
Northern National is an alternative rock band based out of Dallas, TX that consists of Michael Rossi (vocals/guitar), Michael Kanne (keys/percussion), Dylan Greene (bass/vocals), and Anthony Comas (drums/percussion). The band released their debut EP in the fall of 2016, toured nationally with Blue October, and are working up the release of their new EP, titled D.A.R.K. They released their first single off the EP, “Slow Down,” today.
“Slow Down” immediately catches the listener’s attention with Comas’s drum heavy beat and Rossi’s soaring vocals. Rossi’s vocals can catch anyone’s ear in the first verse with Cold War Kids-esque emphasis and diction. The addition of guitar and Kanne’s key melodies at the beginning of the chorus give this song power and stirs the emotion within the listener, causing them to slow down and listen to the intricacies within the song. This song reminds me of other powerhouse alternative rock bands, namely X Ambassadors, Imagine Dragons, and Cold War Kids. Rossi’s vocals on the bridge give the track an anthemic feel, a part of the song that fans will gladly throw their hands in the air and scream-sing with Rossi during a show. Greene’s bass line is one that you can feel within you that carries the whole track and really delivers the punch of the track. During one of the final choruses, the song is broken down to simply Kanne and Rossi. Kanne’s simple chords remind the listener that even a song as complex as this can be just as powerful with a few chords, and those are the chords that are going to linger with the listener. With catchy background “oh’s” and a chorus melody that will get stuck in your head even hours after you hear the song for the first time, “Slow Down” is an unforgettable track that is going to be a crowd favorite and a standout Northern National track, especially live.
Northern National will be releasing more music in the near future, so give “Slow Down” a stream, give the band a follow, and look out for their new EP coming soon!