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Sissy Hits
34 votes
?
by Daniel Ross
  • Type: Album

This may not seem like the most remarkable of situations, but it is.

Dananananaykroyd were due to release their debut mini-album in early March. This has been scuppered by, apparently, a lack of money at Jealous Records. Seeing as this only happened a few days ago, it seems a little premature to be begging the band to hear it and writing a glowing review because you're scared that no labels will go after it and give it the release it deserves. But here we are.

Sissy Hits could be a very important recording, and not just for Dananananaykroyd. So concentrated and consistent is its brilliance that you wonder whether they'd be able to keep it up for a whole LP… but we don't have to think about that until it happens. Even if they did bugger it all up on a full-length release, we'd all still have this work to appreciate. Their clarity of musical expression is blinding, but with intricacies that suggest something far cleverer. This doesn't mean the whole changing time signatures instrumental wizardry thing, nor does it mean the whole lyrical-constructs-beyond-comprehension thing either. What it does mean is utterly delirious, insane fun with subtle touches in each corner to elevate these already-brilliant songs to a territory clearly marked 'genius'. This territory is located between other territories clearly marked 'stupidity' and 'ecstasy', obviously. Those are good too.

'The Greater Than Symbol And The Hash' takes delight in its struggle, the initial double-drummer marching insistency finally giving way to a demented acceleration and the kind of squealing guitars we haven't seen this convincingly since Siamese Dream. Vocalist Calum S. Gunn barks amiably about musical terminology ("dotted lines mean that you repeat it!") over a particularly tight din, and the overall effect is simple exhilaration. But the struggle, the struggle. Things reach optimum velocity, those squealing guitars are held, built, bred with so much percussion and finally released. Things are, you feel, stretched as far as they might go. But the struggle continues. A solemn hi-hat beats four and we're dragged by the teeth through a deformed version of earlier themes while Gunn's head explodes. Finally, finally we can see the end in sight when the toms are beaten, oarsman-style, slower and slower and slower and slower and slower, accentuating the off-beats, until we're completely fucking dead.

That's the first song done.

Ha! Obviously it can't continue at such bollocking ferocity, and we kind of calm down after that. The light pomp of the verses in 'One After One' is a daintily perfect antidote to the grungy chorus and chant of "WE ARE THE PARTY!", for example (I think that's what they're shouting). Then we begin to realise all that stuff about these being astonishingly catchy pop songs. 'Cleaning Each Other' has a particularly righteous guitar-harmony-led chorus that, for all the world, is better than any of Thin Lizzy's. Similarly, '1993' is the right side of funky to retain its rock credentials in some completely, idiotically, carelessly colossal riffs. Another epic in the vein of the opening 'The Greater Than Symbol…', this closer (effectively, seeing as the last track is less than a minute's doodling) shows ample evidence that this band could survive on its melodies and nothing else. David Roy's carefully widdled guitar lines during the second section are beautifully played, and flanked by dinky xylophone and vocal scales. Then it blows your brains off again for a few seconds. After that, the final doodle, 'Infinity Milk' stomps around and finishes with wild and hilarious screams. Wicked, thanks. These are the best twenty minutes of music you'll hear all year, probably.

We could carry on and describe the glumly effervescent humour that pervades each track, or the idiosyncratic nods to music theory and tour bus larks, but you can discover those yourself. Treat!

As you, the readers of DiS, are fully aware, comments left after reviews tend to disagree with the review more often than they agree with it (that might just be mine). So, conversely, I'm personally appealing to anyone who may disagree with this review and asking them not to comment. If you agree with it (even if only partly) then leave a comment saying that you think Dananananaykroyd deserve a record deal and lots of money so they can take over the world in the most rocktageous way imaginable. It'll be right good.

  • Dananananaykroyd 10 / 10
Words: Daniel Ross

Seconded:

Saw them supporting The Futureheads not too long ago and they tore the place down.
Great review, gets across the "fun" that lies at the heart of their sound.


Why I felt the need to put fun in speech marks I don't know -

- the only explanation I can think of is that live, they are enormous fun. ENORMOUS


Dananananaykroyd deserve a record deal and lots of money

+2

(They won't be short of offers either, I'd think)


i love them

i love them and love them and lvoe them!!!!


go on record companies

do it for the kids :)


DiS Records? No?

I really want this.


this

is my thought too


Dananananaykroyd deserve a record deal and lots of money

+3

DiS records???? what are you playing at!


It really is as good as he says.

I hope someone puts it out properly very quickly.


I

carefully widdled.


:D


Dananananaykroyd deserve no record deal and bankruptcy

^a complete lie. Need to hear this.


i prefer

Ex Wives


Really wanna check this out

Everything I've heard from them sounds like a potentially brilliant band.


they're playing at Bardens

Thursday March 13th. £5 in.

RATM to support (TBC).

What has happened to Song 1 Puzzle?


10/10

and you didn't even mention "British Knights" which is the best song on there. They should just put it out as a single quick. on a clothing label, or a nail factory's label


Danana EP

Hey guys!! Talk to Best Before Recs, we're fans of you lot. We'll turn it around in 8 weeks and get it out the lovely public!! And you can tour with 'Johnny Foreigner' in support of the release. Sounds like a plan...


i don't understand why NME didn't touch them yet

apart for that small radar thing with the singer of cut of your hands (average band) and calum


I agree


Fucking so much fun

supporting the Futureheads, but I don't get the same buzz out of the myspace songs, but most of the songs on myspace are bollocks quality anyway


this isnt bad at all

but it sounds exactly the same as fucking everything else. why cant a band do something DIFFERENT for a change. stop just trying to sound like your scene pals, you pussies


everything fucking else?

like what exactly? i'd honestly like to know.


sorry

misquoted you there - what i meant to say was "fucking everything else"


Dananananaykroyd

excelent tunes... I really want to see them live and I have only herd the myspace tunes and read the stuff on here..... GIVE THEM MONEY AND RECORD DEAL YOU SWINE!


I want!

I don't own any hats, but I'll go out and buy one specifically just to eat it if a label doesn't snap this up soon


having now heard this

i can agree on 10/10. and the fact that they need a label to put this out asap.


Jealous Have No Money?

What's the situation? I'd put out the record in a heartbeat. I have the money, i have a label...


this

Dananananaykroyd deserve a record deal and lots of money so they can take over the world in the most rocktageous way imaginable.

can't wait for this ep.


love them

best (live) band in the uk atm. as simple as that.
if only the audience would go as mental as they do.


it is still a 10/10

for me.
obviosly with the rigth production and mixing this band could really take over the world.


oh yeah!

Personally I love the EP. Don't think it sounds like anything else out there at the moment. They are an amazing band that just need to right production behind them to bring out the live sound and carry the songs as they deserve to be...
Best heavy alternative (post hardcore) band out of the UK in LONG time.
Anyway, deal on the way???