The “90s sound” is back and this time it is not clad in flannel. New acts above and below the surface are paying tribute to the bands that shaped the airwaves, such as Nirvana, Sonic Youth and the Smashing Pumpkins. Bits and pieces of the underground bands that made more noise than their contemporary critics gave them credit for, such as My Bloody Valentine, Jesus Lizard and Sunny Day Real Estate, can also be heard. One of these testaments to the past is currently residing in the south side of Chicago, in the form of a band called My Dad. With the recent release of its debut “Stunts,” the young group led by singer/guitar player Dave Collis has established itself as a songwriting force to be reckoned with.
When diving into the ten-song album, listeners will notice just how eclectic of a work it really is. Yes, the “90s sound” is alive and well in the noisy guitar tones and lo-fi production tricks, but buried beneath are complex drum patterns that are reminiscent of post-rock acts of the past decade.
“When I started writing drum parts and other instrumentation, I was mainly influenced by Piglet, Dirty Projectors, Boris and Grizzly Bear, so it ended up being just a huge blender of all of it,” explained Collis.
A “blender” is indeed a great description of the song-to-song switch ups. Early moments in the title track “Stunts” fly past in a flurry of tom-rolls and staccato guitar melodies before the breaks are slammed on in more ambient moments like “Thai Food.” The sequencing of the tracks embraces the art of dynamic and really takes the listeners on a rollercoaster ride.
In the opening “Ali: Fear Eats the Soul” and the aforementioned “Thai Food,” there are many traditional ambient elements present.
“This originally started out as a post-rock project, and Brian Eno’s ‘Music for Airports’ was my main influence,” explained Collis.
“Most of the guitars are delayed at two different tempos running through each other to create a kind of blanket.”
One of the most impressive moments on the album is “83 and Loving It,” which features a more frenzied take on the sound established earlier in the album before running head-on into a beautifully-constructed ascending conclusion. This is truly Collis's finest guitar work on the album, with goosebump-inducing guitar melodies piled on top of each other in a fashion where every note fills every gap.
“I actually wrote the melody instantly while I was in class. I was listening to a lecture and heard the beat and melody and just wrote it out on a piece of paper,” explained Collis. “The teacher asked me why I was humming something nonsensical and I just felt embarrassed and kept writing it.”
“Stunts” is not your ordinary piece of pie. Upon further inspection with knife and fork a very intricate, well-constructed filling is found. Delay lathered guitars that flutter around a technical but modest rhythm section paint an indescribable picture. While Collis’s vocals jump from panicked and ecstatic to calm and lullaby-like, it is obvious that this album is one music fans need to truly listen to appreciate the story being told.
“Stunts” by My Dad receives 4 out of 5 stars.