Lick Online - Demo Reviews

Some Dresses/Genuine lbs 7”

The buzz surrounding Dananananaykroyd is deafening. A mere year in and they’re doing what Glasgow bands do best – kicking the living shit out of their instruments, their studio, their live show and themselves in order to create the best sound around.

There’s little to no point in trying to describe Dananananaykroyd so let’s just say that they sound like Dananananaykroyd. Can’t say fairer than that, and what self-respecting music fan wouldn’t want to hear something they’ve rarely (if ever) heard before?

First track ‘Some Dresses’ is a stormer. Starting with a chant of ‘Yeah! Can you smell it in the air?’ you feel the instant need to jump out of your chair and punch the sky. It’s life-affirming stuff and the song keeps on building from there – to the point that your average indie kid’s mind might well implode. The urgency, however, is levelled by an almost superhuman production job. Nothing is out of place, it is never boggy and the sound, although sharp enough to prick you, is rounded enough to leave space for you to dance. There really isn’t another song like it out there at the moment.

Backed with the jaunty Genuine lbs, the single is given a marvellously-judged sense of balance. With a skipping riff and off-kilter rhythm it maintains the joyous rebellion of Some Dresses but with a stylish sense of refrain.

The single has been out since November and, by now, should be twisting merrily on your turntable: the grooves showing signs of wear.

www.myspace.com/dananananaykroyd
www.jealousrecords.com

Russell Moore

This Bag is Not a Toy

This bag is not a toy... a severe message of warning to children. Perhaps also a message about getting involved with underground punk music – just don’t! Ha ha!

But contained in most of these poorly produced and similar sounding releases are some great pop songs. Borrowing from Oi, Ska, Punk, LA Hardcore and any number of underground music styles provides a superb template for song writing. Add in the usually strong political slant and you have a genre that is more than the sum of its parts. It could really be any punk band on record here but the lineage, at least, makes it palatable.

‘Sick of Being Nothing’ fairly fires along and challenges typical social power structures. ‘Filthy show – filthy town’ is your typical “I can’t wait to leave” song but also questions the value of making it on a major label (‘If the shit sticks wear it, try it on for size’). Even if there’s no obvious musical hook there’s a message in there.

Overall this single is good at what it does and it’ll appeal to the people it needs to. There is little evidence of it invading the general conscious but then that is probably the exact point. Roll on late night radio and Barfly tours. Have a ball boys!

www.thealpacinos.com

Russell Moore

War of the Worlds (Atlantic)

Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly (aka Sam Duckworth) returns with anthemic single War if the Worlds. Featuring his trademark acoustic riffff (!) style, thumpy rhythm section, trumpet honks and synthy breaks it cements his reputation as an exciting new British artist. Described by the man himself as “…the idea of relationships. It’s about breaking down that barrier and saying ‘What’s changed? And Why has it changed?’”
To the passing listener it’s a catchy song that sounds a bit weird sometimes. To the dedicated fan it probably explains why they’re alive in a way no one else could. To me it’s a mighty fine three-minute pop song that I’ll listen to again and again.

www.getcapewearcapefly.com
www.myspace.com/getcapewearcapefly
www.atlanticrecords.co.uk

Russell Moore