Rocket R is for Rocket
Rocket's R is for Rocket arrives as a confident debut that channels 1990s alt-rock energy into modern, hook-driven alt-rock, and critics largely agree it succeeds on its strongest songs. Across seven professional reviews the record earned a 78.67/100 consensus score, with reviewers repeatedly pointing to the muscular opener “The Choice”, the reverb-drenched anthem “Act Like Your Title”, and the blazing guitars of “One Million” as clear highlights. Praise centers on the band's command of stadium-ready dynamics, big distorted guitars, and Alithea Tuttle's striking vocals, balanced by glossy production and careful songcraft.
Critics consistently celebrate the album's blend of shoegaze textures and propulsive rock - reviewers namecheck “Pretending” and “Wide Awake” for their dreamy, textural moments while tracks like “Number One Fan” and “Another Second Chance” show the group's knack for melodic payoff. Several sources draw comparisons to Ride, Silversun Pickups and 90s-era guitar bands, framing R is for Rocket as part nostalgic revival and part clear-eyed update. Professional reviews note studio craftsmanship and arrangement as strengths, with many emphasizing hooks and pre-choruses that turn restrained verses into euphoric choruses.
While most critics are optimistic - calling the record a promising, sometimes thrilling collection - a few point to familiarity in its influences, suggesting the album promises more than it yet fully delivers. The consensus suggests fans of guitar-driven indie rock and alt-rock resurgence will find plenty to praise, and those curious about the best songs on R is for Rocket will want to start with “The Choice”, “Act Like Your Title” and “One Million”. Below, the detailed reviews unpack how these standout tracks and the album's contrasts between heft and subtlety shape Rocket's debut and their potential trajectory.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Number One Fan
3 mentions
"“Number One Fan,” the album’s closest thing to a ballad, is dreamy in all the right ways, helped along by a surf of strummed guitars"— Fader
Act Like Your Title
5 mentions
"‘Act Like Your Title’ erupts with its sloping, slashing bassline, and goth-tinged melodies"— Clash Music
The Choice
6 mentions
"When the drums crash in on the second-half of the otherwise mellow opener “The Choice,”"— Fader
“Number One Fan,” the album’s closest thing to a ballad, is dreamy in all the right ways, helped along by a surf of strummed guitars
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
The Choice
Act Like Your Title
Crossing Fingers
One Million
Another Second Chance
Pretending
Crazy
Number One Fan
Wide Awake
R is for Rocket
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 6 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Rocket arrive with a debut that often thrills, led by opener “The Choice” which is called a "psychedelic barnstormer" and instantly sets expectations high. The reviewer singles out “Act Like Your Title” and “One Million” for their reverb-drenched punch, and praises “Pretending” for its blissful noise and cleaner, livelier sound. There is repeated comparison to Ride and Silversun Pickups, situating R is for Rocket between nineties Seattle angst and sleek modern wash. Overall the tone is optimistic: if Rocket keep writing these propulsive, muscular anthems like the title track, they are headed upward.
Key Points
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“The Choice” stands out as the debut's thrilling opener that immediately lifts expectations.
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The album's strengths are its reverb-drenched alt-rock textures, blissful noise moments, and propulsive, anthemic songwriting.
Themes
Critic's Take
Rocket arrive on R Is For Rocket with a confident nostalgia for ’90s alt-rock, and the best songs - notably “Act Like Your Title” and “Pretending” - prove the revival can still thrill. Spencer Hughes praises the jangly guitar and muscular bass of “Act Like Your Title”, and the heavy, driving thrust of “Pretending” provides the album's most convincing attitude. He also flags opener “The Choice” as intriguing and psychedelic, a track that lingers with its front-heavy bass and minute-long instrumental close. Overall the record is glossy yet biting, promising rather than groundbreaking, but it delivers solid songs played loud that showcase Alithea Tuttle's striking voice.
Key Points
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“Act Like Your Title” is the best track for its jangly guitar, muscular bass and infectious chorus.
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The album’s core strengths are glossy yet biting production, strong vocal performance, and faithful but energized ’90s alt-rock songwriting.
Themes
Critic's Take
Rocket’s debut R is for Rocket announces itself with confident, big-amp gestures and immaculate songcraft, and the best songs - notably “Another Second Chance” and “Wide Awake” - show why. Merrick’s eye for structure underlines how hooks and pre-choruses turn restrained verses into euphoric payoffs, making the best tracks on R is for Rocket feel immediate and enduring. The title track’s six-and-a-half-minute guitar epic and the dizzy slow dance of “Number One Fan” round out an album that prizes arrangement as much as noise, which is exactly what lifts these songs above filler.
Key Points
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“Another Second Chance” is the best song because its pre-chorus-to-chorus journey delivers genuine goosebumps.
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The album’s core strength is meticulous songcraft and confident, large-scale guitar arrangements that balance texture with structure.
Themes
Critic's Take
Rocket’s debut, R is for Rocket, feels like a ferocious, well-drilled guitar record where the best songs land immediate hooks and sustained payoff. The review’s voice lingers on “The Choice” for its sudden drum crash and on “One Million” for blazing guitar work, making them the best tracks on R is for Rocket in both impact and craft. There is also praise for “Number One Fan” as the album’s dreamy ballad, which rounds out the best songs with its surf-like strummed guitars and reverb-drenched vocals. The writing emphasizes devotion to craft and melody, which explains why listeners keep finding new details on repeat plays.
Key Points
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“One Million” is best for its blazing, forward-thinking guitar work that defines the album’s energy.
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The album’s core strengths are well-crafted guitar hooks, melodic devotion, and attention to technical detail.
Themes
Critic's Take
In a piece that wears its influences on its sleeve, Rocket's debut R is for Rocket finds its best tracks in riff-led survivors like “Act Like Your Title” and “One Million”, songs that channel arena-ready hooks with a modern sheen. Joe Goggins praises opener “The Choice” for its art-rock spaciness and highlights “Another Second Chance” as woozy and atmospheric, while noting that “Pretending” flirts thrillingly with shoegaze. The title track, “R is for Rocket”, is singled out for a noisy crescendo that stylishly rounds the record off. Overall, the review frames these as the best songs on R is for Rocket because they balance homage and momentum without losing compositional poise.
Key Points
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Riff-first tracks like 'Act Like Your Title' and 'One Million' are the album's best for their arena-ready hooks and momentum.
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The album's strengths are confident songwriting, textural variety between art-rock and shoegaze, and polished production tempered by close homage to '90s influences.
Themes
Critic's Take
Rocket arrive on R is for Rocket with a clear mission: arena-ready songs tempered by delicate moments. The reviewer heaps praise on opener “The Choice” for its Radiohead-tinged grandeur, and singles out “Act Like Your Title” and “Crossing Fingers” as immediate highlights because of their urgent bass and crushing guitar work. The quieter charms of “Pretending” and “Number One Fan” earn nods too, supplying shoegaze tenderness amidst the record’s strident guitar muscle. Overall the best tracks on R is for Rocket are presented as both forceful and subtle, songs that prove the band’s songwriting and production ambitions.
Key Points
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The Choice stands out for its Radiohead-evoking grandeur and detailed arrangement.
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The album’s core strengths are its balance of arena-ready heft and delicate shoegaze-tinged subtleties, backed by meticulous studio production.