Review Fix Exclusive: Blue Dolphins Talk ‘Walking in the Sun’ EP and More

Review Fix chats with The Blue Dolphins: Alfonso Rodenas and Victoria Scott who discuss their new EP, “Walking in the Sun,” as well as their influences and goals for the future. Inspired by acts the likes of Carole King, Crosby Stills, Nash and Young, and Paul Simon, their sound is rich in nostalgia but trendy enough to grace the radio soon enough.

Review Fix: What did you learn from the first album and how did it affect this EP?

Alfonso Rodenas: We realized that we have something that people can relate to, a sort of a naked honesty, a sincere voice without premeditation. People seemed to dig that and the universal appeal of the songs. We have tried to preserve that in this fully produced recording.

Review Fix: What musicians influence you guys the most?

Victoria Scott: Songwriters Carole King, Crosby Stills, Nash and Young, Paul Simon, The Doors, Everything but the Girl. We make our own sound out of these and the melting of our cultural heritages (UK and Spain), and the musical decades we have lived through. I listened to a lot of Prince, Nina Simone, Astrid Gilberto, Carole King, Acid Jazz, The Doors and Bob Dylan.

Rodenas: We listen to all types of music, but there is always this unstoppable attraction to the roots and the sound of the bands that established the principles of modern popular music in the late sixties till the mid seventies.

Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?

Rodenas: Our sound is a rich and complex mixture of roots, eclectic and singer song/writer pop rock oriented. I have tons of influences from the last 40 years of music history, it’s very timeless and far away from calculated authenticity with very powerful, clean and brilliant sonic aesthetics.

Review Fix: Why is this EP special?

Rodenas: The EP is loaded with a very positive and contagious uplifting energy, full of enthusiasm and vitality. Even the sad songs are optimistic, it is this feeling of ‘come on, everything is gonna be alright”. We think people need this energy right now, it is like the general mood in society is one of having thrown the towel in. We don’t believe in that attitude and the EP is a chant against that.

Review Fix: What song on this EP has the best story behind its creation? Care to share
?

Rodenas: The song ‘Walking in the Sun’ comes from a little, funny idea that we jammed first when we met, many years ago. It was on a cassette, we knew it was a great idea, but we could not find the tape. We were trying to start the process of creating the new record and we were not finding the trigger to start when, finally, we found the tape. We love the song and we’re really happy that it started the whole process.

Scott: In a way it is also the three-minute version of the story of us as a couple.

Review Fix: How do you want this EP to be remembered?

Scott: As a break-through for us as a band, when everyone went ‘woah! This is The Blue Dolphins’!

Rodenas: As a humble contribution to change the dark and depressing mood that permeates many aspects of society in the world today, and towards a more optimistic and happy one.

Review Fix: What do you guys think you have to do to get to where you want to be as a group?

Scott: Concentrate, think clearly and decisively. Dwell in the moment completely and not have any expectations.

Rodenas: Just be as faithful as possible to ourselves and our personalities. To the way we see music and creating, we will try to avoid compromising with anything we don’t like or feel. Working hard.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Scott: Summer will be spent playing in California and Spain, Later in the year other parts of the US- then maybe to Asia. Writing new songs. Expanding our fan base, meeting many more music lovers.

Rodenas: In September our thirteen song, full album “Come On!” is going to come to light. This EP is a teaser for and an integral part of it. Before then we are planning some concerts in the US, UK, and Spain also, maybe, Asia and writing Album no.3.

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 13819 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

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