It is almost a cliche how Kelompok Penerbang Roket fits so well into the molding of a ‘proper’ rock & roll band. They play rock that harks back to the ’70s, they have the attitudes to match, and they had their share of dealing with the police. But when the music they play is this good, those things hardly matter.

In the “Anjing Jalanan” video (“Street Dog”), the band conveys moments in Jakarta. As told in the song, it is a city where you’re bound to cross paths with ignorant people, thugs, ill-behaved policemen, and unruly buses. But it is also a city that guarantees you will have an ample supply of smiles and laughter.

With their first album released in May this year, they sound like a blast from the past and at the same time undeniably modern. They are one of the reasons why the music scene in Indonesia is on fire right now.

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