There is a Way

Album review

Self-describing their sound as "fight-pop," the impossible-to-type Scottish six-piece Dananananaykroyd stay true to their word on second album There Is a Way, which appears to be waging a war against staying in tune, coherent lyrics, and the concept of subtlety on 12 anarchic tracks that attempt to pummel listeners into submission. An acquired taste they may be, but those who thought that producer Ross Robinson's previous collaborations (Slipknot, At the Drive-In) were a little too tame may feel that Christmas has come early, thanks to the unrelenting barrage of frenetic rhythms, the ear-splitting guitar riffs, and the distinctive yelping dual Glaswegian vocals of Calum Gunn and John Baillie Junior, as evident on opener "Reboot," which picks up where 2009 predecessor Hey Everyone! left off; the appropriately named "E Numbers," whose bratty and hyperactive nature suggests the bandmembers have been indulging themselves in one too many of the food additives; and the blistering post-hardcore of "Seven Days Late." However, occasionally the boisterous outfit deviates from the bombastic default setting to produce something approaching a melody. The indie disco of "Think and Feel" shows they weren't kidding with their claims of Prince being a major influence, thanks to its tight funk grooves, infectious chorus, and even an unlikely sax break; "Muscle Memory" is a bouncy slice of U.S. skatepunk that celebrates the joy of performing; and "Apostrophe" is a surprisingly radio-friendly combination of spiky angular riffs and urgent post-punk beats. From the fun but infuriating moniker to the blatant disregard for musical convention, it's admirable to see a band whose ambitions of commercial success seem virtually nonexistent. The riotous and uncompromising There Is a Way ensures that they won't have to change their priorities any time soon, but there's enough potential here to suggest they could go down that road should they change their minds.

© Jon O'Brien /TiVo