Customer Reviews

Brace Yourself

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first heard this band when they opened for Jason Mraz--a rather obvious difference from opening for such bands as Simple Plan and performing on the Warped Tour. However, I think associating them with the latter two honestly does them a disservice. They are beyond their "punk" appeal, as they are a genuinely good band making genuinely good music. They have competent vocals (though on some tracks the quality in this area does seem to wane in an effort to appeal to, I believe, the punk audience) and quality instrumentals. The 'hardness' or 'roughness' of the bass and guitar are perfectly evened out by the smart smoothness of the piano and Sebastian's (and his younger brother Seth's) talented vocals. The lyrics are thoughtful and well-executed, as the attention paid to the vocals means you can actually *hear* the words that are sung (well, most of the time)! Which seems rare, especially when compared to the bands they've been grouped with.

There is real substance to this band, with an appeal that most certainly stretches beyond genres. If you're a fan of quality music, you'll be quite satisfied with these guys.

Dropping Daylight brings to mind the early work of Ben Folds and Something Corporate. The piano combined with the catchy lyrics are simply amazing, and something that isn't heard too often. Though this CD just came out, I find myself with the whole disk on repeat. There isn't a song that I don't like. "Waiting through the Afternoon" single-handidly makes the album. All of the other songs simply heighten the overall experience.

Even though I knew about the band almost two years ago and listenend to their work as they released it, I am still blown away by the cd. Instead of going through the album song-by-song as many reviews do, I am simply going to say, just buy this album. I have a rather large collection (over 300) spanning every genre, and this is one of my favorite albums. This CD is simply...amazing

I first heard Dropping Daylight about 4 and 1/2 years ago when they were known as Sue Generis. They played in a small coffee shop in St. Cloud, MN. They are an unbelieveable band to see live. There new album Brace Yourself is an amazing album and it was nice to see them throw in some of there old songs from there first CD Back To Nowhere in the album.

I have known these guys for quite a few years now, but personal bias plays no role in this review. The lead singer/piano-player/songwriter is classically trained, and it's refreshing to hear a new cd come out that actually has real music on it. It's not just the same three "emo" chords played over and over with people whining about how their girlfriends are gone, and they can't get them back. The songs are melodic, heartfelt, and reminiscient of a younger Ben Folds.

That's enough for now though. I'm sure that from listening to the samples, you already know what I'm talking about. (Plus, the cd is bargain-priced. You can't go wrong with that.)

I first heard Dropping Daylight when they opened for Blue October earlier this year. Having never heard of them, and knowing nothing about them, I was curious, but not really that excited. However, no more than two songs into the set, I was impressed. These guys put on a truly fantastic live show, and won over the crowd in a big way. I can't remember ever seeing an opening act get such a great response from the crowd, especially considering at least 90% of the people there probably had no idea who the hell they were.

So anyway, having been impressed with the performance, I was eager to pick up this album right away, and it hasn't gone out of rotation since. Led by vocalist/keyboardist Sebastian Davin, these guys bring a brand of melodic rock to the table that is distinctive and still commercially friendly (even if the mainstream is largely ignoring them, unfortunately). With Davin's smooth and emotive vocal style, and classically inspired piano playing, comparisons to Muse and Ben Folds Five are inevitable, but fortunately they manage to take influence from these bands without trying too hard to sound like them. Combine some crunchy rock riffs with the shimmering piano arpeggios, and you've got a killer dynamic here.

For its rather short length (only about 35 minutes), there is plenty of variety in the music. From rousing rock anthems, like "Tell Me" and "War Song", to plaintive balladry, like "Waiting Through the Afternoon" and "Answering Our Prayers", the album never gets repetitious, and the ever-dynamic musicianship doesn't hurt that either. The lyrical topics are diverse as well, rrom war, to religion, to relationships, to a fun song about fantasizing about Lucy Liu. Even when they tackle more serious subjects, the album remains upbeat in tone, and manages to fun, catchy, and sophisticated all at the same time.

Basically, this is a great album by a great band. Give it a listen, and definitely see them live if you get a chance.

I had heard a few songs off of this cd before I bought it, and expected more from it. All of the best songs were released as singles, videos, ect. It's still worth a listen, but not as good as I expected.

I saw these guys when they opened up for Mraz in Mesa, AZ and were blown away by their music and stage presence. I had never heard of them, but was very impressed. I immediately bought the demo they were selling at the show. When Brace Yourself came out, I wasted no time in purchasing it either. Hard driven, melody-laden tunes highlight this very strong breakout album by this Minnesota foursome. Led by pianist/singer/songwriter Sebastian Davin, it's easy to make comparisons to Ben Folds, but this album has much more depth. Many bands come to mind when I listen to these guys: Ben Folds, Incubus, Hoobastank...I even heard stuff that sounded Dream Theater-ish. The well-crafted, energized songs play one after the other and it becomes apparent that this is one of the best new bands out there. You should definitely pick this CD up ASAP, and if you get the chance to see them live, dont miss it!

Hey everyone,I'm from mexicocity and I remember I saw dropping daylight 1 and a half year ago opening for Trapt in Boston,MA. When this guys appeared on stage they didnt cause any emotions to the people, they looked like amateurs who were just trying to have an opportunity. Nobody was paying attention to this guys when they came out on stage, but as they started to play, everybody got in complete silence, including me. I was amazed, seriously amazed. The way these guys mix the piano and the rock riffs, they move amazing on stage. I remember they opened with the song take a photograph, and I liked it, the second one was my favourite,War song, This song sounds amazing live, i was really in shock. When the show finished everybody bought their EP, and I asked the singer when were they going to have an debut album. He told me summer 2006, and i promised him to buy it, and since that day I waited a lot of time, and now that I have the album in my hands, all I can say is buy this great album.

The Forward: Although I've heard many people classify Dropping Daylight as a "punk" band, it couldn't be further from the truth. If you're looking for quality punk music, try Rise Against. Moving on...

The Up Side: Tell Me was the first song I'd heard from Dropping Daylight, and it's probably one of the best tracks on an already solid Brace Yourself. The gritty vocals mesh well with the hard rock guitars and tasteful piano melodies, building up to an over-driven, anthemic chorus Creed only wish they could have written. The hard rock meets piano style continues for almost the entire record, save for a ballad towards the end, giving Brace Yourself an accessible flow the entire way through.

The Down Side: Although the whole piano angle gives Dropping Daylight a unique flavor, I can't help but feel like they're a little bit too similar to other, more famous bands. Heavy traces of Breaking Benjamin, Nickelback, Ben Folds Five and of course Creed, can be heard the entire way through. Since Brace Yourself is a debut, this isn't really a big deal, but if DD really want to make a name for themselves, they'll have to break the mold and come with a style all their own next time around.

The Conclusion: Brace Yourself is a very safe, commercial hard rock record. Almost anyone into rock or pop can find something to enjoy here, and those who say they can't are just being stupid.

The End.

We seen these guys in concert about 2 years ago when they opened for Simple Plan. We had never heard of them, but we were blown away. We became instant fans. At the time only their 4 song EP was out. We got it and listened to it over and over. Several months later we had the opportunity to see them in concert again. It was a small show, but they performed like they were playing in front of thousands, giving it their all and rocking their hearts out. These guys are very talented and you won't be dissapointed if you buy this CD. Every single song is a winner. Trust me, this will become one of your favorite CD's.