Common Rotation is a college folk-rock band. A mix between Blues Traveler, Barenaked Ladies and a little bit of 311, they have the sound down, along with blatant college-student lyrics that address the concerns of society and American culture and are sung with alt-country style vocals mixed with a a sound akin to Creed’s lead singer, Scott Stapp (though there is a song with a reggae singer).

The full-length release Big Fear is good proof that the boys in Common Rotation are talented musicians. The recording quality is great and the production is good, which brings out the best in a lot of the songs. The songwriter, Eric Kufs, is witty and focused throughout all of his songs and shows maturity in that. Along with him is a band that plays well together and understands the songs clearly, playing for the better of them and not distracting the listener by showing off their talents.

The songs are full of pretty, melodic bridges and riffs that catch your attention and ears. Common Rotation’s biggest strength is their ear for melodic instrumentation and implementation of it. They create quality songs that are put together well and structured intelligently making it clear that their music is not thoughtless or unintentional. Their weaknesses are the overly dramatic vocals/ascents and extremely happy sounding songs that sometimes come across as cheesy with lyrics that at times assist that impression.

In summary, Common Rotation’s Big Fear is an album for all college students and embodies a lot of the carefree attitudes that college aged people tend to have. So if that fits you, this CD shouldn’t disappoint.