My Amazon Reviews: Dawes “All Your Favorite Bands”

Your New Favorite Band Brings It All Together
4 Out Of 5 Stars

On the new "All Your Favorite Bands," Dawes maintain their infatuation with that 70's California sound. I guess all that time spent on the road with Jackson Browne helped mold the band's shape, but on this album, as on the previous albums, Dawes mine that vein successfully enough that they claim it as their own.

As much as this album harkens back to the LA heydays of yore, leader Taylor Goldsmith roots much of the album in modern heartache. The title song may seem like a fond farewell, but it's really a bitter kiss-off. Same with the opener, "Things Happen." Replace "Things" with a four letter word starting with the letter 'S' and you'll catch my drift. All this lyrical tension is buttressed by the band themselves. The playing has become more organic, and they went to a live in the studio recording method. ("Things Happen" was reported to have been nailed on the first take.) It leads to a few surprises, like the electric guitar solo in "I Can't Think About It Now." Or most obviously on the near 10 minute closer "Now That It's Too Late Maria."

Starting with just a hushed drum and low key bass, Goldsmith sings lightly, "Nothing sadder than a street light/shining on a stretch of empty sidewalk." Builds to a slow burn solo before the final verse, then eases into a jam session that winds up as the song continues. It captures perfectly how much the band's chops and trust in interplay has grown, even with the short span of time between "All Your Favorite Bands" and "Stories Don't End." Credit should be given to producer David Rawlings, who captures the band in their natural element, and to Dawes themselves for the leap in compositional acumen. "All Your Favorite Bands" is modern folk rock of the finest caliber and a contender for the best thing I've heard this year.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Dawes "Stories Don't End"

Story Telling
4 Out Of 5 Stars

Does your definition of classic rock mean the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne and the Eagles? If so, you're going to love the third album from Dawes. "Stories Don't End" exquisitely recreates the sound that used to be made by 'the mellow mafia,' with each song drenched in harmony, acoustic guitars and no overloading bombast to startle or shock you. It's breezy California rock that could have easily dropped in from the late 70's, and that is meant in a good way.

Vocalist Taylor Goldsmith is often a dead ringer for Jackson Browne, in fact the title track could have easily been an outtake from any given 70's Browne album. They work up singer songwriter storytelling (the cover image is the band around a campfire, theatrically passing along some sort of legend in the dark), with songs like "From A Window Seat." Following America from one side to the other, it's a chronicle of the country and its loner/losers from a tour plane and self-examination, and the disc's best song. But that doesn't even take into account just how good some of the other songs on "Stories" are. They blend jewel precise three part harmonies (the title track), wistful lyricism ("Just My Luck") and a sense of classic pop ("Hey Lover") into a seamless album.

If you're nostalgic for the sounds that used to flow out of Laurel Canyon or just miss really well done singer-songwriter music in general, Dawes is just for you. They may be making throwback music, but theirs is not a nostalgic viewpoint. "Stories Don't End" is grounded in the here and now, and is a triumphant album to have in this decade.

     

Newport Folk Festival Pictures!

Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman and Jackson Browne

Britanny of Alabama Shakes. This lady can wail.

Jim James of My Morning Jacket

The Lead Singer of Trampled by Turtles

Conor Oberst, Patty Griffin, Dawes, Tao Seeger and more here!

My Amazon Reviews: Dawes "Nothing is Wrong"

Everything is Right
4 Out Of 5 Stars

Landing somewhere between the Avett Brothers and The Eagles, Dawes resurrect the old San Fernando Valley mellow rock of Jackson Browne (who is something of a patron to the band) circa 1976. In fact, you'll be able to close your eyes and imagine Browne's doppelganger at the microphone while you listen to "Nothing is Wrong." The songs are excellently crafted with harmonies out of the CSN&Y playbook, all about loves lost, missing or yearned for. The woman with "a tragic set of charms" is even reinforced even by the song's title, "Time Spent In Los Angeles."

"Nothing is Wrong" has plenty of these kind of hooky folk-pop laments, and Browne lends a harmony to "Fire Away." They even let that Eagles bar band moment loose when the guitars go to jet-speed in "My Way Back Home." Lead singer Taylor Goldsmith has the valley-Bohemian croon down (his brother Griffin also sings, his harmonies spark "How far We've Come") to the point where you almost expect Linda Ronstadt to pop in. If you're missing the kind of Cali-Rock that takes its California Dreaming via the Hotel California, you'll love the finery of Dawes.