Review Summary: 'They're like a party band. It's party music.'
Every now and then you come across a band that, all things considered, is damn cool to tell your friends about.
‘Dude, there’s this sick band, they’re called DZ Deathrays.’
‘Oh yeah? What are they like?’
‘It’s like the coolest thing ever. They’re like a party band. It’s party music.’
That's pretty much the best description you can give of the band. Unless you're me, of course. Exhibit A: DZ Deathrays started at a house party in late 2008 and, admittedly, will probably end at one. Or so they say – 2012 has seen the dynamic duo (fortissimo, mainly) receive masses of press coverage, becoming the darling children of local press, national press and NME magazine. It’s the aura of ‘cool’ that these long haired punks carry about that lends itself to their unmistakable magnetism as a two-piece. Their debut full-length, ‘Bloodstreams’, takes the furious pace of their previous couple of EPs and takes it up a notch, then down a couple of notches, then right up to 11. DZ Deathrays play a frenetic brand of future punk; a sound that should be vomit-inducing levels of generic but instead comes across as quite the opposite. Most tracks, namely ‘Dollar Chills’, ‘Dumb It Down’, ‘L.A. Lightning and ‘Gebbie Street’ have the hooks that grip the listener in a way unlike most acts these days.
Listening through ‘Bloodstreams’, one can’t help but sit back in awe at how terrible it isn’t. The unpolished production, out of time drums and cluttered instrumentals would ordinarily lead one to the action of exclaiming, ‘*** this!’ and moving on. Somehow, they pull it off, in a way that’s not only unique and exciting, but also compelling to a multitude of audiences (hipsters, anyone?). The hooks are unforgettable, the energy is vicious, the pace is frantic and the live performance multiplies all of these by at least 72. No doubt highlight track ‘Play Dead Until You’re Dead’ will give the band the exposure they need to blaze a trail across the indie music scene, while ‘Cops Capacity’ serves as potential staple of their live performance.
Chances are: the way things are going, you’ll have the aforementioned conversation at one point or another. DZ Deathrays are the talk of the town, and rightfully so. They’ve a magnetic image, a wild persona, infectious image and monstrous appeal. The word is out, ladies and gentlemen – this band is the business. Get amongst it.
