Dead Dads Club, Must Be Crazy EP - review
‘It is boring to constantly listen to mass produced, generic music on the radio’ says Dead Dads Club frontman Lee Richardson.
“We aim to bridge the gap between the classic sound from the 60s and 70s and the next wave of successful guitar-based bands.”
Luckily for the Malvern four-piece they have some solid sounds to back up the big statements. Despite not technically being from the city they are included in the current WorcesterWave movement which has been sweeping northwards towards this part of the world with increasing ferocity.
They mix an agitated blues rock sound with some skipping melodies to create a mix of light and dark, soft and hard. It sits comfortably on the palette.
The opening title track features some delicately swinging string work from lead guitarist Milo Fereirra Hayes. “In Milo, we have one of the best guitarists around,” adds Richardson in another big claim. “If you don’t tap your feet listening to us, we’ll have failed.”
Well, this certainly does that. The guitars mixed with James ‘JD’ Devine’s stick work on the drums are a fun frolic through the sounds of the era mentioned by Richardson earlier. It’s got a good pace too. It easily ticks the boxes for one to enjoy live.
Stop is a little more sombre than its predecessor. But here those explosive blues rock solos come out from the woodwork. You know the ones. Joe Bonamassa, Eric Gales, Joe Satriani etc. Fast and frenetic they pull the bassline along with them like a hyperactive kid in a sweet shop. Hayes certainly does have talent.
Funked Up is a nice mixture of all of the above. There’s something a little Reverend And The Makers about Richardson’s vocals here. Matt Rawlings’ bass is aloud to dance along with Hayes’ twanging guitars and this certainly has more of a funk slap to it than the other material.
And closer Straight To Hell is more straightforward rock. It has a swagger to its timekeeping. It’s almost teasing us. Perhaps a little weaker than the previous three tracks it still allows Hayes to enjoy himself.
Rating: 7/10
Dead Dads Club are playing at The Victoria in Birmingham tonight, September 28, as part of the Modern Age B’ham event alongside Dirty Orange and Whitelight, and then headline the Actress & Bishop in Birmingham on October 13, supported by Dirty Barons, Mandalorian and Highlite
