You’ll know it when you hear it. “Big, smart rock” may be an oxymoron in today’s modern music scene, where loud guitars inevitably pair with overblown teenage angst histrionics while the latest critical darlings are known best for their steadfast refusal to push the volume past a whisper. Minneapolis trio All The Way Rider manages to deliver loud rock that won’t insult your intelligence and memorable songwriting that won’t fail to satisfy your craving for bombast.

Vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Jessen formed the band in 2005 with drummer Rocky De Vries, bassist Scott Walters, and original guitarist Bill Collins (who left the band in January 2008). They quickly settled into an organic, prolific songwriting approach where the songs are written as a band, collaboratively and efficiently. The members of All The Way Rider benefit from over a decade of collective writing and performing experience from previous bands, and as a result there is a maturity and sophistication in their arrangements that may come as a surprise for a band that rocks as hard as they do. In a live setting, they are energetic without excess, progressive without pretension. On their first two records, the self-titled EP and 2007 full length Lahuna, the depth of their songwriting skills is apparent in the balance between dreamy atmospherics and driving rock. In 2008 All The Way Rider has delivered their most powerful statement yet with The Eagle’s Revenge, featuring the blistering, urgent powerhouse “Fort Dodge Police”, the wide open spaces of “Starting To Warble”, and the swinging indie groove of “Shuffle Off, Friend”. It’s clear that this is a band that believes in writing great albums that work as a whole. In a sense they are a a throwback to a time when buying a record meant getting your hands on a whole batch of legitimately great songs, not just a single or two surrounded by disposable filler.

So for fans of smart, powerful hard rock, you’ll know it when you hear All The Way Rider. Like visionary rock acts such as Shiner, Hum, and Quicksand, ATWR delivers exceptional songs with volume and conviction. This is a band that focuses all their energy on crafting great music, wasting none on cultivation of any sort of contrived image. They are currently hard at work touring in promotion of The Eagle’s Revenge, out in early 2008 on Blue Worm Records.