Dan’s the champion of the world!
Quite cunningly enough, Dan Against The World are a five-piece band that doesn’t have a member called Dan • the cheeky monkeys! They are however Scottish, and just like their native countrymen renowned for being keen walkers and postcard writers -The Proclaimers - they have the full Scottish accent coming through in their lyrics, which with their pop/punk sound is certainly different.
If Rivers Cuomo’s parent’s had been born in the land where throwing tree trunks is a sport, eating animal intestines is a delicacy, and men in skirts is the norm, then I suspect that Weezer would’ve sounded exactly like this • of course their smash hit, ‘Buddy Holly’ might’ve been the ‘Bay City Rollers’ and filmed on the set of Taggert, but anyway I think you get the point.
Okay, let’s be serious now • well relatively speaking anyway • Dan Against The World (or DATW as they will now be referred to as) are very good. First song, ‘Oh Emily’ is a cross between Weezer and Silver Sun, (Weezer’s riffs and song structure and Silver Sun’s harmonies) then add the Scottish twang and the sound is familiar and unique all at the same time. This is a nice pop/indie song that is almost pop/punk without the bounce, but still with that happy clappy feel. Ahhhh….
In contrast, ‘Julianne’ is a little more pop/punk with some great guitars/keyboards that then go into chugging guitars in the verse giving a sound a little like Go:Audio mixed with The Ataris and Jimmy Eat World. This is catchy stuff, and leads on nicely to last song, ‘I Can’t Dance’ which sounds quite confessional. Don’t worry guys I can’t dance either • unless I’m drunk, and then I’m like one of those street-dancers, or I think I am but actually wake up the next day battered, bruised and too embarrassed to leave the house…This is a slightly slower tune with gentle chugging guitars in the verse and keyboards playing the melodies.
This is a great EP, and dare I say the best stuff to come out of Scotland since David Moyes and Andy Gray…The EP title is interesting, as Japan will love these guys with a passion that is unsurpassed. They have a love of catchy pop with sugary-sweet harmonies almost as much as bashing baby seals and whaling. The vocals of Ewen Watson mixed with the other band members, especially the only female Harriet Griggs, give the band a beautiful range vocally, and when attached to their shots of indie/pop come up with something as exciting and interesting as naked Mastermind. Great stuff folks!