A party in the ears, romp with the body, and riot with the imagination; descriptions which can certainly be suggested upon the sound of the Dollyrots to date but definitely and strenuously applies to the band’s new release, Daydream Explosion. Across fourteen slices of the band’s inimitable fusion of punk, rock, and pop, the album incites and captivates but equally fascinates more than anything from the Los Angeles duo yet as diversity and adventure fuel an eclectic mix of contagious goodness.
With previous album, Whiplash Splash, one of the rousing treats of 2017, vocalist/bassist Kelly Ogden and vocalist/guitarist Luis Cabezas have pulled out all the creative stops to outshine that acclaimed release with Daydream Explosion. From the moment it gives its first eager breath we can declare aim accomplished and an irresistible slab of infectious enterprise bred.
Produced by the band with long-time producer John Fields, Daydream Explosion immediately had ears and attention in its hands, a teasing hook bringing in the pop ‘n’ roll of opener Animal. Ogden’s seductive tones swiftly join the broadening stomp of the track; Cabezas’ soon after and as magnetic as the rhythms and riffs which collude in a charge of flirtatious punk nurtured hooks. As catchy and inescapable as barbed wire, the song effortlessly gets the album off to a rousing start.
With beats swinging, riffs nagging, Everything steps up next and just as devilishly infests body and spirit. Again vocals simply incite participation as easily as the rhythms manipulate feet, the song’s chorus a heightened exploitation of an already fired up appetite for the record and eager subservience to its pop persuasion.
In Your Face comes with a steadier gait after but even in its shimmering sway there is a zeal and energy keen to break out which it does in another contagion of a chorus, the song’s seductive pop increasingly volatile and riveting before Naked uncages its alternative rock devilment like a pop infested Blood Red Shoes. With a rock ‘n’ roll shaped heart the track quickly builds its own character and grinning escapade to be unique Dollyrots.
As expected hooks escape the band like rocker instincts bound in one listening to the album, next up Last Ones on Earth relishes its own host of ear snaring conjuring. With a pop breath seemingly taking inspiration from an array of decades the song commands air and attention while exploring more eighties pop seeded breeding I Love You Instead follows to get the body popping all over again and sap the lungs just a little more of their willing breath. With all songs, but here especially, you can almost feel the fun and big broad grins the pair should have had creating one devilish encounter.
Through the ear smooching sixties girl group toned Watching the Storm Go By and the frenetically stomping I Know How to Party, band and album only pulled attention further away from reality, both tracks major moments among only highlights with the latter carrying a mischievous nod towards Andrew W.K. in certain moments while Kat’s Meow more than matched their glories with its virulently frisky stroll.
There is no decline in pure temptation as No Princess springs its own individual pop punk epidemic straight after nor as Flippy In My Red Dress infests hips and passion with its rampant rock ‘n’ roll seduction. Like a mix of The Hillbilly Moon Explosion and Stray Cats but pure Dollyrots, the song is sublime, a major favourite track challenger though tested throughout the album for that honour as proven by the feisty Oblivious and Talk Too Much with its senses taunting hooks and melodic dance, a combination far too potent to resist.
The album closes up with Daisy’s Song, a final slice of punk ‘n’ rock temptation as instinctively sinful as it is masterfully manipulative and simply beguiling. And that pretty much describes Daydream Explosions as a whole, creatively wicked and unapologetically infectious and most likely the best piece of pop punk you will embrace and devour this year or possibly next.
Daydream Explosions is out now via Wicked Cool Records/ The Orchard; available @ https://thedollyrotswcr.bandcamp.com/album/daydream-explosion
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Pete RingMaster 13/08/2019
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
Opening up with Pills, the album instantly had ears attentive and the body rocking. Soon the song strolls along with a summery glaze over eager catchiness as hooks collude with flirtatious riffs and rhythms. There is a whiff of The Shirts to the track as its heart embraces the instincts of pop and rock ‘n’ roll around the magnetic presence and tone of Spazzy.
Ramone, Color TV, The Ramonas, Frankie and the Studs, and The Dollyrots, Merry Christmas To You is a slice of old school UK meets raw US punk as infectious as it is enticingly raw. Spicy grooves and hooks collude with hungry riffs and rampant rhythms across less than two minutes of richly appetising rock ‘n’ roll. Admittedly we do not have a natural appetite for Christmas offerings but for songs like Merry Christmas To You we eagerly raise a glass.
Another track hitting the spot is Goodbye Psychotic Christmas. From Brian Kroll & My Son The Bum, who equally have laid down one of the year’s bright spots in the single Mad Man (Playing in a Mad World’s Game) this past February. My Son The Bum has shown itself a band unafraid to explore distinctly individual styles and flavours in their releases and prime songwriter Brian Kroll shows he is a dab hand at seasonal offerings too with the new single.
commitments, the song is a catchy slice of pop rock with a great sixties pop/seventies mod flavouring.
Completing our look is some Holiday Season pop rock from Jeff Michaels. From Boston, MA, singer songwriter Michaels continues his tradition of the past five years in releasing a holiday single and accompanying video. This year it is It’s Been a Long Time, Christmas and its ” simple call for the return of Christmas, and the brighter days we all need.”
The following Babbling Idiot is just as virulent, Ogden’s harmonic romancing warming the angular surge of guitar and the sparking of solitary rhythmic seduction before it all boils up into another seriously addictive and physically persuasive chorus. The song has a slim seventies/eighties scent to it, occasionally bringing thoughts of bands like The Photos and The Waitresses, but roars with a punk ‘n’ roll zeal borne of today’s agitation and energy.
Beats and guitar strikes immediately tempt with the nagging melodic prowess of the band at close quarters, they setting the scene for the mischievously toned vocals of Ogden to begin leading the revelry within. Her bass provides a shadowy tempering to voice and the vibrancy around it, especially when the song relaxes into a reflective moment, whilst the fiery enterprise cast by the strings of Cabezas collude fluidly with electronic spices additionally colouring the song’s infectious theatre.