Dan Andriano & The Bygones

Dear Darkness

Written by: PP on 09/03/2022 08:02:36

Aside from being one of the masterminds in Alkaline Trio, Dan Andriano has a history of excellent side- and solo projects throughout his career. Until recently, he had been spending the downtime from Alkaline Trio playing bass with The Damned Things on "High Crimes", and perhaps more importantly, on recording a new album by Midwestern punk supergroup The Falcon, which was released back in 2016. Besides these two, his recent solo work revolved around his moniker Dan Andriano In The Emergency Room, which roughly coincided with Matt Skiba And The Sekrets during another Alkaline Trio pause. Fast-forward to 2022, and here he is with a brand new, self-produced solo project called Dan Andriano & The Bygones, featuring Dylan & Randy Moore of Get Married fame.

The album title "Dear Darkness" is a clear reference to the dark, but beloved melodies we're accustomed to hearing on Alkaline Trio records. Here, Andriano has considerably more room to explore different stylistic takes on the sound, resulting in a record that initially feels almost like a Trio record, but ends up sounding far more casual and mellow in comparison. For instance, the piano-infused "Wrong" is a great example that allows his fantastic vocal range to shine and is a prime example of why people love his work in Alkaline Trio.

Elsewhere, the record is louder and more alternative rock-tinged. "Sea Level", the title track "Dear Darkness", and "It's A Trap Door!" all feature distorted guitars, a slightly elevated tempo, and signature Andriano-style melodic vocals driving the songs forward. Yet it's a different soundscape from Alkaline Trio, featuring fewer punk undertones and more expansive elements that take from a multitude of genres to combine into a single sound. That said, a song like "One Minute Wasted" wouldn't have felt out of place on "My Shame Is True" given its melancholically catchy nature.

As we all know, Dan Andriano is a great songwriter so almost everything he touches is solid. His soothing singing style coupled with a knack of capturing great hooks means the material on "Dear Darkness" is also enjoyable throughout, even if it's not spectacular as such. I might have enjoyed his Emergency Room work better personally, but it's also interesting to hear a slightly different take stylistically from Andriano.

7

Download: Sea Level, Dear Darkness, One Minute Wasted It's A Trap Door
For the fans of: Alkaline Trio, Dan Andriano In The Emergency Room, Matt Skiba And The Sekrets
Listen: Facebook

Release date 11.02.2022
Epitaph

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