Rome 56 — "Ladder of Love" (Official Music Video)

Arthur Lamonica's CBGB-forged songwriting meets romantic alt-rock on the second single from Pony Tales

Arthur Lamonica has been writing songs for long enough that the phrase "CBGB stalwart" actually applies without irony. As the driving force behind Rome 56, the New York songwriter has built a catalogue rooted in sharp melodies, ringing guitars, and lyrics that know exactly when to be sincere and when to grin. "Ladder of Love," the latest single from the band's new album Pony Tales, is a case in point.

The official music video finds Rome 56 in their sweet spot: a mid-tempo alt-rock ballad that climbs with quiet urgency, romantic without being saccharine, restless without losing its footing. Lamonica's vocal has that particular quality of a songwriter who's been at this long enough to know that a great melody doesn't need to shout. The guitars ring clean and wide, the rhythm section keeps things moving with understated propulsion, and the whole thing lands with the kind of effortless craft that only comes from years of playing rooms where the audience is close enough to catch every word.

Pony Tales continues the Rome 56 tradition of making records that sound like the best kind of bar-band rock filtered through real songwriting chops: downtown grit polished to a warm gleam without losing any of its edge. If you've followed Lamonica's work from the CBGB days through to now, this is exactly the record you'd hope he'd make. If you haven't, this is where to start.

Watch "Ladder of Love" here. Pony Tales is available now from Think Like A Key Music.