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Dance With Dirt

We Are Dance With Dirt

Written by: TL on 13/07/2013 17:42:04

I'm already on record saying I find them similar to Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand and The Strokes. They're already on record saying they draw inspiration from Queens Of The Stone Age. Rockfreaks.net is already sort of on record showing faith in them, having booked them to our upcoming 10th Anniversary Fest. Eleven of their songs are already on record as well, their debut full length record that is, called simply "We Are Dance With Dirt", and while it came out back in February, I'm sure plenty of you out there haven't heard it yet. The question is: Should you?

Well, the answer - at least if you like yourself some toasty and exuberant indie rock'n'roll - is probably yes, you should. Especially judging from the album's highlights, which are coincidentally located near its opposite ends. Opening single "Flush" gets the riffs rolling instantly, channelling Franz Ferdinand's angular style in the verse and continually reminding me of Kasabian's "Club Foot" via the devilishly catchy backing vocals of the chorus. Meanwhile "In The City", at track three, has a tempo straight out of The Strokes' playbook, a retro-rock energy that reminds me a lot of fellow Danes Go Go Berlin and another chorus that compels you to move and sing along.

At the other end of the album, "Amputations" takes its time to build up to another catchy refrain in a more slow-burning composition that eventually winds its way up to a sexy guitar solo that momentarily reminds me of Audioslave's "Like A Stone", while "Blue Queen" ends the album stomping its feet a few time before upping the badass-level at least a couple of times before galloping into the wall at full speed.

When I mention these songs, it's because they are my highlights - The cuts I think will be most memorable from the record - but it's not because the tracks that fall in between are far behind. "Screensaver", "I'll Never Die, I'll Only Disappear" and "One Of These Days" are all catchy, but in a somehow more subdued manner that reminds me of another countryman in Tim Christensen. And then there's "The Catch", which starts brazingly with the Danish words for "hey errh.. kiss me right on the dick!" and goes all guns blazing from start to finish with a galloping tempo and cool riffage galore.

In general, "We Are Dance With Dirt" is exactly the energetic statement of intent that the title hints towards, going hard almost from start to finish, and with frontman Magnus Jacobsen clearly trying to make the most of every note he squeezes out of his vocals as well as his guitar. As for drawbacks, you could of course clamor for a bit more variety on an album that shows a sensitive side pretty rarely, but more importantly I think what's holding Dance With Dirt back is the level of production they can presently afford. There's nothing wrong as such with the sound of "We Are Dance With Dirt", but it is very homogenous, and you get the feeling that the band could have gotten more nuance and personality into each song, if they'd had the resources of a bigger band. Still, if only for the highlights, you should check this baby out, and stay aware of the band, seeing as they have already promised to record more songs later this year.

Download: Flush, In The City, Amputations, Blue Queen, The Catch
For The Fans Of: Kasabian, The Strokes, Go Go Berlin, Franz Ferdinand
Listen: facebook.com/dancewithdirt

Release Date 18.02.2013
Target Distribution