My Denton Music spotlight: Rio Rasco

by Josh Hogan of My Denton Music

Tucked away in a tiny, hay insulated garage on Bernard Street is Rio Rasco, yet another in Denton's massive pool of emerging young acts. But with a powerfully catchy sound (think The Strokes meet The Sex Pistols) and a tireless work ethic, this trio is equipped to set themselves apart from the rest of Denton's newest talents.

Rio Rasco is comprised of Taylor Harp and Cody Sharp, formerly of DJ Wolf as well as Chris Larson formerly of Eight Hundred Pounds. The band has been together since late May discovering and refining their natural sound that they derive from a number of influences. "The Libertines and everything that broke off from them, Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon, oh, Modest Mouse is another big one," says lead singer and guitarist Taylor Harp. "But I denied I liked Modest Mouse for years because people would always say that guy sounds like me. But yeah, I really like them."

By far the most laid back of the trio, drummer Chris Larson comes from a slightly different background, but certainly a very common one is Denton. "I pretty much grew up on classical music and funk music," said Larson. Larson, who is a percussion major at the University of North Texas, explains, "I listened to Tower of Power non-stop all through high school." It is this along with many others that Larson uses to influence his style. "That really hard and tight funk band sound, that's what I am going for, or at least what I try for."

So far so good for the young group. Their sound has the an interesting mixture of the loose and free-flowing sound of early '70s punk rock to the tight rhythm of bands like Franz Ferdinand or The Strokes. "It is very natural, the way our music is made," says bassist Cody Sharp about the band's sound.

While perfecting their sound, the band also knows that one of the most important and most common aspects of a successful band is dedication. There is a difference in saying you have dedication and actually having it, a lesson not lost on these three. "I have complete faith in these guys," says Harp. "We set a goal then get to it, then set another one and get to that." As of today, the band has met and exceeded every goal they have set in their young career. Their next one is to get a press packet out by the end of the year. Sharp draws upon local influences as well, "I think RTB2 has been a huge influence to me. Just in terms of hard work and yeah we are going to book shows out the ass and just play everywhere." Everywhere so far for Rio Rasco has meant a load of house shows and most recently a spot on the lineup at The Cavern in Dallas.

Currently the band is busy preparing for their next show, which at times can pop up out of nowhere. "Yeah, we just got through playing our third show this week," says Harp. "And we are real excited about every upcoming show we have."