Dad Rocks! - Mount Modern

  by Paul Waller

published: 12 / 11 / 2011

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Review

As I write this Snævar Njall Albertson (thankfully otherwise known as Dad Rocks!) is currently travelling around England and Scotland delivering his unique brand of acoustic folk-tinged rock music to our shores. I say unique because I haven’t heard a voice this low in register since Calvin Johnson. It’s a step higher than Brad Roberts from the Crash Test Dummies, but whenever a throwaway line is dished out it still holds a certain resonance thanks to his deep and knowing tone. It’s this that stands him out from an overpopulated folk rock pool where far too many members from far too many bands have struck out as solo artists. The approach that Snævar takes with Dad Rocks! is almost a xerox of his day job band, Mimas. This is luckily a smart move. Much like Norway’s Beezewax and their singer Kenneth Ishak there is little that seperates the two units. I see this as a smart move because that gives the fellas double the chance of being heard and if you like one option as a listener then you are bound to like the other. None of this would matter if Mount Modern sucked balls but with repeated listens what stands out isn’t just that voice, but the cleverness of the storytelling and the hooks that drizzle their way through each track like syrup being poured over a sponge pudding. 'Pro-Disney' and 'Funemployment' both stand out but it’s the single 'Weapons' that hooks you into the album properly. I Love the line “The kids have found a weapon that will change the balance of power,/They download high-pitch ringtones that adults can’t hear with their aging ears”. That makes total sense to me. Why is it always adults that write the clever words though, even when they are singing about the youth?I'd love a bunch of snotty nosed teenagers to break through and tell it like it is in an articulate way. So would I recommend 'Mount Modern'? Well if you have heard Mimas and didn’t like them because they were not indie enough for the hipsters or not rock enough for the bearded hoards then no this won’t be for you, but if like me you want music to hold your attention and inspire you and maybe every now and again give you that tingling sensation that makes the hairs on the nape of your neck stand to attention then Dad Rocks! may just be the very thing you are looking for.

Track Listing:-

1 Mount Modern
2 Weapons
3 Funemployment
4 Downaging
5 Major Labels
6 Battle Hymn Of The Fox Father
7 Lifestock
8 Farmscrapers
9 Take Care
10 Pro-Disney
11 Pants

Band Links:-

https://twitter.com/dadrocks1
https://www.youtube.com/user/dadrocksm
https://plus.google.com/11061861989658
https://www.facebook.com/dadrocks1/
http://dadrocks.bandcamp.com/
http://dadrocks.tumblr.com/

Label Links:-

http://www.bsmrocks.com/
http://bsmrocks.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/bsmrocks/
https://www.facebook.com/bigscarymonst
http://bsmrocks.tumblr.com/