Dilly Dally

I say that there are a lot of things I like about music, but the most important trait of a great band/artist is getting the listener's feelings to adapt to the feelings they are expressing. Because in the end, music is supposed to be art. And art is supposed to effect you on emotional level... if it's good. 

This is the single trait that in my opinion makes an album go from good to great. The delivery of the trait can come in multiple ways: a simple melody, a bunch of minor chords on an acoustic guitar, or in the case of Dilly Dally the mix of 2 parts unadulterated rage and 1 part quiet frustration. 

Co-founder and vocalist Katie Monks has this salty/sweet vibe and she sings with two different personalities: One is Sheryl Crow post Lance Armstrong break-up and the other is Courtney Love as an MMA fighter. And she's using my left testicle as a speed bag. I almost imagine her like she's the little girl from the Sia videos all growns up, but instead of expressing her inner rage and frustrations through dancing she wraps it in sandpaper and jams it down your ear holes. 

The other co-founding Dilly Dally'er is the guitarist Liz Ball and I can't decide which one I like better. The guitar is connecting with me because it reminds me of Weezer, but if Weezer had bigger balls and wore leather jackets and ripped jeans instead of khakis and and Warby Parker glasses. It's ironically warm sounding, yet, reverby and dark. 

And speaking of Weezer, the album is fucking dripping in nostalgia from the 90's and the mid-30 year old in me is just gnawing on that bone in the corner and growling at everybody who passes me by. The howling on the track 'Witch Man' is so Pixies. The self deprecation is so Kurt Cobain. The swirling guitar is so Sonic Youthy. In fact, It's so real that today I dug up my old wallet chain and velcro wallet. I'm going to go hit up the local Denny's, order a Moons over My-Hammy, and a black coffee with 5 sugars. And I'm going to sit there for 4 hours listening to this CD on my Discman and tip the waitress a maximum of $5. 

Sore is one of the best albums I heard this year. I seriously have been listening to this fucker on repeat for the last 48 hours. I'm already making plans to go see Dilly Dally in Chicago and that will begin my stalking. 

So, check this album out NOW and don't be surprised when it becomes the soundtrack for the re-make of Single White Female starring Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Lawrence. 

Joel's note: It's like Hole but fronted by Stevie Nicks if she was actually Courtney Love who was actually Julia Stone from Angus & Julia Stone. I want to fuck it but then act like I didn't want to fuck it even after I fucked it I wanted to play it cool.