B-Side Guys

Perception filters rarely make for lightweight subject matter, yet few bands can wrap profound disillusionment in such immediately gratifying packaging as Sitting on Saturn does on “Rose Colored Glasses.” The LA-based power trio—comprised of vocalist/guitarist Hoyt Yeatman, bassist Kyle Hart, and drummer Trevor Smith—delivers a track that plays like a masterclass in controlled contradiction.

Having cut their teeth on stadium tours with the Jonas Brothers and shared stages with alt-rock veterans 311, Sitting on Saturn has developed a remarkable ability to craft songs that feel simultaneously massive and intimate. “Rose Colored Glasses” exemplifies this dichotomy, building on the momentum of their 2024 album “Looking Past Red Flags” while sharpening its emotional focus.

The track opens with deceptive simplicity before expanding into the genre-fluid approach that’s become the band’s signature. Yeatman’s vocals navigate the verse with restrained intensity, allowing Hart’s melodic basslines to establish a groove that’s one part indie rock introspection, two parts punk urgency. When the chorus hits, Smith’s drumming elevates rather than dominates, creating space for the narrative payoff.

What’s particularly striking is how the production choices mirror the song’s thematic preoccupation with distorted perception. Guitar tones shift between crystalline clarity and textured distortion, mirroring the lyrical journey from self-deception to uncomfortable truth. This deliberate tension between sonic elements reflects the cognitive dissonance of removing those metaphorical rose-colored glasses.

The band’s experience playing everything from packed arenas to intimate clubs has clearly informed their approach to dynamics. “Rose Colored Glasses” breathes in all the right places, demonstrating a restraint that makes its explosive moments all the more effective. It’s the sound of a band that understands how to read a room—any room, regardless of size.

Perhaps most remarkably, Sitting on Saturn manages to incorporate their diverse influences (indie, punk, and traces of their ska background) without sounding like musical tourists. Each element serves the emotional core of the track rather than functioning as stylistic window dressing.

“Rose Colored Glasses” suggests that despite their rapid ascent and high-profile collaborations with everyone from Simple Plan’s Pierre Bouvier to NOFX’s Fat Mike, Sitting on Saturn remains focused on crafting songs that resonate on a human level. The track stands as compelling evidence that sometimes the most universal truths come from musicians willing to remove their own filters first.