Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Much more than a cookie cutter emo-pop band, November 12, 2005
I've been a DLD fan for some time now. I saw them live in 2004 and bought the self titled CD. It was awesome. Almost every song acoustic and mellow. A truly great band with awesome talent. Later, DLD released an EP. Sadly, it didn't really meet the greatness that their full-length did. It tried to be more powerful by getting rid of the acoustic thing, but failed and just made a decent atmospheric emo CD. I didn't lose faith though, and waited for this CD to come out. "On the strength of all convinced" is the CD fans have been waiting for. It's also the band's first foray out of the indie scene. They've finally achieved the status that's been needed for so long, probably through means of the internet.
At first I was skeptical about this CD. It sounded much like an extended version of "closing down the pattern department." I felt that DLD had failed me again. Still though, i listened on. Finally, I found some common ground in the song: Pollen and Salt. It sounded like something off of their first release. It had that raw acoustic guitar talent that seemed to be missing from CDTPD. After that, the whole album just clicked. Every song became enjoyable. The fact is, DLD have finally found their sound. Previously they couldn't decide if they wanted to do acoustic music or upbeat power popish stuff. With OTSOAC, they prove that they can do both at once. They prove it well.
Everything great about DLD recieves an upgrade here. It's about time too! There's so much to like about this record, I could go on forever. Firstly, Kenny's lyrical talent has expanded greatly. Given, he has always been great with wording but it truly shines here. Especially in songs like "a year on an airplane" where Kenny shows he can use metaphor quite well.
Another awesome thing about this CD is the variation. It's not often that a band can make a CD of songs this diverse, and keep up the pace throughout. A problem I had with the full-length was that there were a couple of songs that sort of sucked, despite the other ones being awesome. OTSOAC eliminates this issue, by making every song a fresh and enjoyable experience.
DLD has evolved into something that defies the boundaries of EMO band. Yes, a lot of songs here are optimistic. Would you look at that? An emo band that doesn't just sing about heartbreak and hurt! I guarantee the upbeatness found here will put a smile on most anyone's face. Great stuff
As some of you might know, DLD is from Seattle, and it shows, moreso on here that ever. The influences are pretty obvious. Copeland, Jimmy Eat World, any emo related or indie band. Don't get me wrong though, DLD sounds much different than all those bands. They have such a unique sound. There will always be people that say they are only riding the emo-pop band wagon, but I refuse to believe that. They have been around too long to be called an imitation.
I would highly recommend this for fans of copeland or Jimmy eat world. DLD is also on tour right now so visit the wedsite for dates. You won't be dissapointed.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The fan base can only grow..., August 20, 2005
Daphne Loves Derby. I first saw them back in the day about two years ago at the Kirkland Teen Center, and i received a copy of a bunch of their songs from one of my friends who'd been there from the start.
Midnight highway, Simply STarving to be Safe, Middle Middle, Closing Down the Pattern Department - these songs were songs that belonged on an album, not on EP's without a label behind them. Finally, DLD signed with Outlook Records and got their fair due for their amazing songwriting capabilities.
I wondered, if recording an album would prove to be more difficult for DLD. On their previous album (self-titled), Come Winter, hopeless Love, and Midnight Highway were amazing songs, mostly acoustic. The new Come Winter was an amazing take on the old song, and proved where Daphne was headed. I've found that DLD does best with about 4 song-EP's, because all the songs are solid. I opened up the CD tentatively, and i threw it into the jukebox.
In iTunes, i rated the songs. Only two songs recieved a 3 star rating, and 6 songs received a 5 star rating from me. I love this band, and they came through with an amazing first album. Highlights from the album are the harder rocking tracks (Hammers and Hearts, What We Have Been Waiting For) which were actually a little bit unexpected, they're amazing songs. I expected some amazing acoustic songs, and the one that truly stood out to me was Pollen and Salt. I was awestruck when I listened to this song, Kenny has progressed as a guitar player, and his voice has only gotten better. I could fall asleep to this song forever.
Other highlights are the newer version of Middle Middle (which I think is nice, but the acoustic guitar could've been turned up a bit in the recording process), with bithday Gallery and A Year on an Airplane coming in as solid tracks.
If you are a fan of Daphne Loves Derby, you NEED this album. It adds on and furthers their musical genius, and as I sit here writing this review, I cannot wait until their next album comes out.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A tad cheesy and a guilty pleasure, but every song is good and they have genuine heart and soul - only for emo fans - 4.5 stars, January 7, 2006
Daphne Loves Derby is pretty cheesy and a guilty pleasure, but they have genuine heart. Their problem is that they aren't entirely appealing to non-emo fans. The singer, especially, is not for everyone as he as a distinctly whiny voice. Thankfully every song is good and the lyrics are somewhat deep and worth hearing. The musicianship is slightly lo-fi indie rock with a little garage rock and acoustic guitars thrown in, but it's usually good (though more catchy than interesting I think). They certainly know how to create a great hook. It was a hard decision to make, but I don't think I could give this "5" stars. It doesn't seem to really "wow" me enough, I suppose. It's definitely not an album that most people will enjoy, but emo fans will like it a lot. If you like this album I would also highly recommend JamisonParkers' "Sleepwalker". Recommended!
Highlgihts include:
the entire album!
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