This is my very first pre-release album review! I'm so incredibly excited to have this opportunity, especially for a talented group of friends of mine. They go by the name Dear Misguided, (formerly known as 12Tone Row), and they have been playing shows and writing music together since late 2010. I got the privilege of seeing them perform at The DNA Lounge in SF in January of last year. It was an awesome show, where they played with energy and vigor. David Hollenbeck, their lead vocalist and guitarist, cut his hand during the first song and continued to play even while he bled all over his guitar. That's perseverance right there.
Now, the album.
Dear Misguided begins the record with a pretty sweet 27 second intro, titled "Fine", consisting of just vocals. The harmonies are done very well, and having this sort of haunting sound to them. It then immediately kicks into "So Don't Wait", a grooving piece of indie rock. It's fun, and will definitely be a crowd favorite with the energy and upbeat feel. The bridge changes up the vibe, slowly rebuilding the energy but in a different manner. Another track that shares the energetic feel is "A Heart Attack in Black and White", which showcases some good old rock n' roll, which I think is great. Throughout the album, I very much enjoy the gang vocals used, especially on "It's a Slip, Not a Fall", which has a feel similar to The Killers in their early days. The band receives bonus points for using a banjo to open up "Deceiver", which unfolds into a huge, epic sound 3 minutes in. It's definitely one of the best tracks on the album. "Living to Impress" is a song I saw them perform, and is a song they've had for a while. It's always cool to see the changes and progressions songs experience as a band grows and matures. It is similar, but has a very different intro and vibe to it; much edgier, but at the same time a song I can envision myself driving down the road blasting on a summer day. It also contains their famous line, "we are billboards", which rings so true today here in America. Personally, I think my favorite track from the album is "Hope You're Happy", a moody rock tune that is catchy, but aggressive. This is another song that utilizes some gang harmonies during the chorus. I also like the back and forth vocals between David and my good friend, Austin Smith, it's reminiscent of bands like Linkin Park and Blink-182. Both "Sorry I Started A Fight With Your Boyfriend...Again" and "Always" are much more mellow, and act as great contrasts to the enthusiasm and fast-pace found throughout the album. "Always" is a romantic song, and one that I see being popular with the fans, waving their cellphones back in forth and swaying with the beat. Austin Smith sings lead vocals on this song, which I think is a great way to create diversity among songs. It has a fantastic build; even though the sound does not get terribly big, it works to further expand the emotional feel of the song. "Say What You Mean" has a sort of swagger about it in the beginning, but is becomes another well-done edgy tune incorporating those gang vocals at the end. It's another favorite from the album, at least for me. And last but certainly not least, "The Last Eleven Years" wraps up the album. I like the use of the organ sound at the beginning; it's not something present in a lot of popular music today. The song overall has a Death Cab For Cutie feel, with the length and the more chilled out sound. David's vocals on this track are probably his best on the album; he gets so emotionally involved that you can feel it through the speakers. It's a fantastic way to end the album.
Now, another fun point to note is the numbers that are next to certain tracks. "Deceiver", A Heart Attack in Black and White", "Hope You're Happy", and "Say What You Mean" have the numbers one-four next to their titles in that order. I asked David about this, who informed me that it was meant to show that they were all about the same person; it was a story about a relationship. I thought this was really neat, and shows creativity on the band's part.
Overall, I thought this was an absolutely spectacular debut. It shows so much potential, and how much progress has already been made in their time as a band. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. Even though it's not of the highest quality, that's okay. It's expected from a band who is working out of their living room. Definitely worth checking out, for fans of Death Cab For Cutie, The Killers, and The Format.
If you want more information about the band, new music, and show dates, click here.
Congrats David, Austin, Nolan, and Jonathan! Keep up the great work!
Tracklist:
Fine - 0:27 (5/5)
So Don't Wait - 4:04 (5/5)
It's a Slip, Not a Fall - 3:56 (4/5)
Deceiver (one) - 4:27 (5/5)
A Heart Attack in Black and White (two) - 3:23 (4/5)
Living to Impress - 4:48 (4/5)
Sorry I Started a Fight With Your Boyfriend...Again - 3:28 (4/5)
Hope You're Happy (three) - 3:06 (5/5)
Always - 4:27 (5/5)
Say What You Mean (four) - 2:59 (4/5)
The Last Eleven Years - 6:09 (5/5)
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