Dad's LP's

Originally posted on May 4, 2014:

          All right guys, we've got one hell of a band to start off what will soon become a LONG list of incredible rock bands that deserve yours and the world's ears.  They are Dad's LPs, a 'pop/rock' band out of California.  It is a classic foursome made up of band members John Morales (drums, lead vocals), Jay Seals (guitar, harmony vocals), Chris Twomey (lead vocals, guitar, bass), and Andrew Harris (lead guitar).  They come from all parts of Cali, from the capital city of Sacramento to the warm waters down in Long Beach.  These guys released their self-titled debut album in 2011, a very solid album in its own right, but it's their next release that really got me hooked on this band.  

          According to the band, "...Lemon on Fire (2014), finds the band picking up where they left off with their self-titled debut, Dad’s LPs (2011). This time they’ve had some years to hone their collective vision."  After listening to just the first track of their new album, Lemon on Fire, you can definitely hear the result of their 3 year hiatus.  Their newer sound is more precise and more emotion evoking.  It is clear that every member of the band has taken the time to truly master their respective instruments and voices.  The vocals are more powerful and unique, as well as being more confident than in their previous release.  The guitars are more prominent now and really serve to keep the listener engaged.  The bass gives everything and extra emotional shot-in-the-arm and keep the rockin' guitar grounded (but not too grounded).  The drums also seem to be more prominent in Lemon on Fire and hold all the tracks together and, I feel, set the mood and evoke the most significant response from the listener.  So far (more on that later), Lemon on Fire causes a surge of energy to run through the everyone within earshot, whether the band is fingerpicking in a relaxed manner or exciting every atom in your body with their twin guitar attacks, beat-setting drum intros, and powerhouse vocals.


         

The cover of "Lemon on Fire"

          The band has stated that; "Some tunes will make you bounce, some will make you pump your fist and bob your head, and some will make you take a quiet pause."  Nothing could be truer (I mean that in the best way); the first song on Lemon on Fire (Gimmejussaminute, yes, that's how you spell it) is an energetic 'spoken-word' song that will wake you up and get you ready to listen to the rest of the album.  It begins with a 25 second double guitar intro with one guitar playing a repeating riff and the other one playing slightly distorted chords on top; this continues throughout the song.  After that refreshing intro, the vocals come in in rapid-fire (not particularly similar to rap).  One would expect someone who is speaking so fast and with repetition to stumble over their words or at least not annunciate them very well, but this is not the case with John Morales.  In fact, it’s the exact opposite; he flawlessly spits these lyrics with more annunciation and diction than most of us probably speak with, while playing an exciting steady beat on the drums!  The second song on this album (A Whisper In The Background) is one of those that make you quiet down and think.  This song implements ambient guitar and a fast snare drum beat to emote a mellow mood.  The vocals harmonize well and further build the targeted mood.  A song that definitely makes me want to pump my fist is Blown Away.  This song is heavily influenced by early grunge, mixed with Dad's LPs signature creativity.  It begins with a lone drum fill, reminiscent of the Foo Fighters.  This beat immediately wakes the listener up with a jolt of raw power, just in time to hear the clean screech of Andrew Harris's Guitar turn to a distorted sound wave and then to a conscious stream of feedback, while another guitar plays a riff that is repeated throughout the song.  Bassist Chris Twomey really shines through on this track with his ever-present, solid bass work.  The vocals on this track remind me of Eddie Vedder's (Pearl Jam) and ooze emotion.  The song writing on all of the tracks is creative and original and often connects with the listener because of the everyday problems/situations they discuss.

          Another incredibly creative aspect of this band is how they're releasing Lemon on Fire.  Each month, they release 2 tracks and a podcast talking about the songs and their recording.  They say they will do this for 7 months, leaving us (in 4 months) with a 14-track album.  Not only does this allow the band to further develop their music on their schedule, but also it builds anticipation among their fans, which are eagerly awaiting their next release.  If only the major industry players would take a tip from these guys and think outside of the box in terms of album releases.

         Dad's LPs is an incredible band that deserves a listen from everyone.  You can hear their debut album and each track from Lemon on Fire (as they come out) on their Bandcamp page/website: http://dadslps.com.  You can also check their schedule to see if they'll be playing near you (west coast).

Thank you for visiting my blog and reading this review.  Please feel free to comment on this article (suggestions, what you think of the band, etc...).  If you would like to contact me for any reason, check out the 'Contact' tab above.  Have a nice day and rock on!