Since the release of their full-length debut Double Dare in 2016, Waterparks has constantly shifted. Each of their five albums has its own vibe and musical direction.

Their first single on Fueled by Ramen, "Funeral Gray" is more organic than the top-heavy sound of their well-received 2021 album Greatest Hits. The song sounds like it could actually be from the late '90s rather than the imitation '90s sound that some of their peers have settled on.

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Rising Star

PREMIERE | Calum Foad Sets It Off With 'Rollercoaster'

'Rollercoaster' is an ear-worm you can't get out of your head

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"Rollercoaster" is the new music video from Calum Foad, the 23-year-old singer-songwriter from Reading in the U.K.

As a teenager, Foad fell under the spell of Enter Shikari, Good Charlotte, My Chemical Romance, and Green Day. He started writing his own songs, sending them to Dan Weller, producer of Enter Shikari. Weller liked what he heard, which led to Foad's first EP, Flaws.

Reaching out once again, Foad hooked up with Marc McCluskey, who produced Weezer and Bad Religion. Foad traveled to New York, where he and McCluskey worked on "You & I," released in 2017, and "Rollercoaster."

Notwithstanding his passion for rock, Foad's musical outpourings definitely tilt toward the pop end of the spectrum.

Calum says, "When I go into the studio to record a song, pop is what naturally comes out. Anyone who says they don't love pop music can't be trusted, as far as I'm concerned. If you hear the first chords of "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepson and don't crack a smile, then frankly you're not quite human."

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"Rollercoaster" opens with oozing layered synths radiating a brooding sensuality. The rhythm is simultaneously brawny and deliciously lush, imbuing the tune with galvanizing seductive colors. There are hints of synth-pop, new wave, and electro-pop flowing through the melody. The combination gives the tune a tight, smooth texture both viscous and magnetic.

Foad's voice, snug with fervent timbres, mingles tonal flavors of the two Justins, Bieber and Timberlake. Only it's more proximate and evocative, nuanced with quixotic voluptuousness.

The lyrics reflect the exhilarating thrill of engulfing, turbulent love.

"I'm caught in the middle of something / Way bigger than you or I / I'm on a rollercoaster, rollercoaster ride / I'm gonna make the most of, make the most of life."

"Rollercoaster" is grand, exuding infectiously intense energy, vivid lyrics, and Calum Foad's captivating voice, with its buttery falsetto and silky tenor.

Follow Calum Foad: Instagram | Spotify | Twitter | Facebook

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