Album Reviews

Band: Danielson Album: Ships Label: Secretly Canadian Release Date: Out Now Format: CD

I remember my father talking about listening to the Flaming Lips, just after singing along to it. He was saying, if you feel exhausted after singing along to a song - that's a sign of a great song. Of course, I might've been able to enjoy the song more if his awful singing handn't flooded over Wayne Coynes, but I know where he was coming from. I got that feeling from this record. And well I feel sorry for the neighbours because my voice isn't exactly the best either...

If you're into Sufjan Stevens you'll like Danielson. It's not in the same territory - different sound etc - but the amount of people involved in Danielson plus the epic you feel from listening to this, it feels like you're part of something big. It brings the whole 'Ships' idea to context.

Infact - from research I've just found the band ambitiously expanded to 20 members. Initially using Deerhoof as his backing band - this expanded with eclectic people such as Why? (from Anticon), some of Serena Maneesh, Sufjan Stevens (oh... I get it!) and Half-Handed Crowd. Bloomineck!

Danielson Smiths voice is highly unique bringing to mind Efrim from A Silver Mount Zion/GSYBE and also Win Butler from the Arcade Fire. High pitched with swoops, yelps and and at times sounds like he's straining to reach the high notes - I think it matches the moods perfectly. At times prog-rock, blending with his choir singing in. It's this power coming from them all together that makes it brilliant. Plus we got the twists in melodic structures. 'Ship To The Majestic Suffix' starts as a quiet duet to subtle prog-rock, suddenly bursting with the rest of the band like a bang! It's from this point the record turns from something mild to a more powerful piece. The rest of the record is also like this. Unpredictable and brilliant at the same time. 'Cast At The Setting Sail' is more playfully singing-a-long one occasionally bringing in sounds of communal areas (bars possibly) from the ship to makes you feel part of it more.

The album is filled with high desperation and humour. In 'Did I Step On Your Trumpet', the crowd sings "We'll grant one more social skill / share a gesture of good will" whilst Smith replies "How I try to relate to my shipmates / Then I just start bursting the first thing on my mind" - yes I'm sure we've come across/been those types! But it has its humour "Would you take care of my pet parrot - he speaks less than me!". It's a highly desperate and paranoid song, but yet highly strung along brilliantly by Smiths vocals, the rest of the bands involvement and the instrumental style.

Another favourite - 'Two Sitting Ducks' - the first half pulling you along with its desperate vocals and lyrics coming from Smith which suddenly burst half way through into a long messed up instrumental style. Building up with the rest of the band - there's banging away on the drums with the piano slamming crazily; cymbals crashing, the choirs sound rising, pulling Smiths voice along with it; swooshing noises from a bass guitar (?) into an unpredictable beautiful mess. It's at this point the hairs on my neck have risen.

If like me, this is your introductary album from Danielson - you won't be dissapointed at all. Filled with prog-rock, old-folk, jazz, gospel singing etc - I think it's time I checked the rest of his stuff. Fantasic!

Danielson: Myspace