They are Dios
Opening with a forbidding drone, I was expecting something sinister, but muted acoustic guitar and blissed out vocals fade in to create a sound that is unique. Well, it would be unique if it hadn’t already been done by Fleet Foxes, which is pretty much what the first song sounds like. However, “Ojay” sounds like a cross between John Lennon and Oasis in an echo chamber. This may or may not be a good thing for you, but it left me unmoved.
“Noone Is Wrong” (which sort of reminds me of the Dears) with its almost ad-hoc riffing and charmingly out of tune vocals has me warming to this band. They have a psychedelic edge and a love of weird noises and slightly broken songs (see “Toss My Cookies”) that doesn’t resemble any of the influences I have spotted so far, but most closely resembles the aesthetic of the Flaming Lips, with a dash of Animal Collective thrown in.
That said they are canny enough to write songs that are catchy and simple ( such as “Stare At Wheel” or “Tell Me Thing” ) and absolutely suitable for large radio audiences. This may be both a strength and a weakness though, as the switch between the band’s weird and normal modes could end up alienating everyone. I don’t know.
I do know that while my brain enjoyed most of this album, I was left with no real desire to rush out and buy it.
Kim Monaghan
The end of this review reminds me a bit of Karl Pilkington: “Who are we talking to Karl, you or your brain?”
“We’re both listening”
Similarly to Karl, I quite often begin talking just to see what come out.