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Daycare For Jedi

This Is What You Get

Written by: PP on 27/05/2017 19:46:04

Their silly name aside, Daycare For Jedi have for the past couple of years presented Denmark's best answer for bands like A Day To Remember and Four Year Strong. Their 2015 debut EP "Worst Things First" leaned heavily on pop punk, particularly on the realist pop punk segment, whereas their debut full-length "This Is What You Get" is quite a significant stylistic departure from that style. Though still fueled by pop punk undertones, the band go all-in on A Day To Remember worship with a healthy chunk of, yes, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! influence added for good measure. We're talking a few screams, metalcore-driven leads, and pop-hardcore style bouncy rhythms for the live shows, coupled with catchy choruses and gang shouts of course.

For a moment, it sounds great. "Home" and "Change" are as catchy as they are polished production-wise, sounding like something our American counterparts produce on a monthly, if not weekly basis. The chorus in "Moonshine" is sing-alongable and bouncy, here sounding like something that could've been on Set Your Goals' "This Will Be The Death Of Us", another band whose influence is a recurring theme throughout the album. Similarly, "Next Chapter" is upbeat and a catchy chant along that feels like it could get some pit action at live shows. There's also the oddity in "Brother", which parallels 90s skramz and post-hardcore with its melancholic guitars, explosive screams, and sudden tempo shifts. Elsewhere, "Loser" shifts focus into skate punk Millencolin style (think post-"Home From Home" era).

In addition, all of that is wrapped into perfect production that leaves all instruments crisp and the vocals nicely at the forefront. Sounds good, so what's the problem? Quite simple: it all sounds generic. The problem with sounding too much like your influence is that if your influences are internationally renowned bands with critically acclaimed albums, they sound better. There are few moments where Daycare For Jedi sound like they're playing to their own strengths rather than channeling their idols' music into something that essentially sounds like a clone. It's a shame because the songwriting is very close to clicking, but this album isn't it. Yet.

Download: Moonshine, Home, Change, Excuses, Next Chapter
For the fans of: Set Your Goals, A Day To Remember; Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!; Bad Case Of A Big Mouth; Four Year Strong
Listen: Facebook

Release date 01.03.2017
Prime Collective