Die! Die! Die! - Promises, Promises
Rating
RIYL
InterpolJoy Division
Minor Threat
Tracklist
01. Blinding02. Britomart Sunset
03. Sideways, Here We Come
04. Death To The Last Romantic
05. Whitehorses
06. A.T.T.I.T.U.D.
07. Maybe: Definitely
08. People Talk
09. Promises, Promises
10. Hold Me
11. Echo Echo
12. Throw A Fit
13. Blue Skies
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It is not often that a band can remind you simultaneously of two classic but very different bands, those being Black Flag and The Pixies. However, Die! Die! Die! manage to pull off this feat with a wild combination of sound, style, and production that hearkens back to the days of honest music. While there are very eclectic effects used on Promises, Promises, the overall sound displays a live feel, promoting a sense of true urgency and honesty. This trio from New Zealand seems to have stumbled upon a sound that is both original and accessible, an achievement not to be taken lightly in this day and age.
The rhythm section functions with a great degree of prominence, which is just one noteworthy quality of this record. The bass guitar does not exist simply as a subtone of the guitar as is the case on many mainstream and alternative albums alike. Instead, the bass guitar and drums have a sound reminiscent of former tourmates The Blood Brothers, displaying a deeply effected bass tone with a very raw drum sound that continuously adds intricacies to already very exciting drum patterns.
Rightfully so, the lyrics and vocals are as diverse as the music itself. Love songs like “Blinding” and “Sideways Here We Come” somehow interact perfectly with the more rebellious punk songs like “A.T.T.I.T.U.D.” and “People Talk” which sound more like the lyrics and sound of Black Flag than anything remotely “emotional.” This trio seems to function in perfect harmony as the band jumps from one style to the next.
Promises, Promises achieves the very difficult task of remaining diverse while retaining the always important concept of fluidity from one song to the next. One could easily envision the hipster snob Interpol fan standing side by side with an Anti-Flag fan who hasn’t showered in weeks, both equaling enjoying the New Zealand trio Die! Die! Die!. There are songs on the album for everyone and it could easily be one of those albums they may not be among your favorites but causes you to love genres you never enjoyed before. That has to count for something.
--Michael Smer
Comments
Oklahoma
Yeah, I was kind of noticing that as I went along. There's nothing I can directly criticize. I enjoyed listening to the album, but I didn't love it and couldn't pinpoint why no matter how much I listened. I figured focus on the positive because this is very honest, original music even if I'm not head over heels for it.
Also, I always try to keep my reviews in a line with my other reviews as far as score goes. I like a 3 star more than a 2 1/2 and like a 3 1/2 more than a 3.
Oklahoma