It’s called Freefall (Live from Athens, Georgia) – Rainbow Kitten Surprise

It’s really hard for me to pick just one song by RKS, so much like 49 Winchester, there will most definitely be some in the future. I think if I had to choose the artist or group that was the largest contributor to the soundtrack to my time in college, RKS would be a strong contender. This is particularly due to their album, RKS! Live from Athens, Georgia. I often think about concerts I would go to if I had a time machine, and this is certainly one of them. In terms of personal taste and opinion, this is one of the best live albums I’ve ever heard, and a lot of it is on video as well!

Before I get into the song, I want to acknowledge the lead singer of the group, Ela Mello, and the outstanding stage presence and charisma they bring to their performances. I included a link to a performance of the song from 2017, that took place at a bar in Columbus, Ohio about half a year before the song came out officially. The performance that Ela gives blows me away, and it’s always great to see a front person absolutely captivate a small crowd.

It’s Called: Freefall, lyrically, like most songs I feature, “Freefall” can be interpreted differently by everyone. For me, initially it was more of a song about going through life, maybe fighting the urge to give up, or perhaps give in to things. Reading the lyrics more recently, I think it may be telling a perspective of someone who is “burning themselves alive to keep others warm”. I think the “Devil” in the song is a friend or someone close and said “Devil” is encouraging the friend to let go and let loose, take care of your own self for once. However, I can also see many different interpretations of this one.

This was the first song I heard by these guys, so I decided to feature it first, and I think it is a great intro into their style and sound. They’re from Boone, North Carolina (home of Appalachian State) and have this sort of hippie mountain folk vibe to them. The way they utilize each instrument to stand out (to me at least) is a really cool part of their uniqueness. I love how they mix their studio stuff and as you can see in the links below, have killer live performances. Their latest album that came out this year is a bit of a departure from their usual sound, but I really haven’t listened to it enough to talk about it yet. I would love to see these guys live one day and since they’re coming to ATL soon, hopefully I can make it happen.

Link to the live performance – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3a2JU2cWbM

Link to early performance – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxC1VQ5OdhM

Link to studio version – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2WDdccgaDY