ALBUM REVIEW: Tell Your Girls It’s Alright – The Dead Deads
Nashville has a long standing reputation of being home to some of the greatest music in the world. That doesn’t just speak to country music, though we’re not biased. With a band like HALESTORM calling it home, there’s good reason to that. Hailing from Music City, power trio THE DEAD DEADS release their long awaited debut album Tell Your Girls It’s Alright this Friday.
It’s difficult not to be put off by the size of the album. Looking at the 16 song tracklist leaves us hesitant. Though diving head first into Sea Beast, we’re soon treated to a hodgepodge of musical mischief. McQueen’s rolling drums beneath a rock n’ roll riff from Meta set the tone for a slightly different sea shanty. The horn section in the intro comes as a welcome surprise as it riles the song like a rising tide. This siren in particular bears her teeth as metal growls permeate the last line of the choruses. Setting the bar high this early, we hope this ocean isn’t turned into red sea.
From here it’s hard to see which direction the trio want to move in. With rock n’ roll vibes of Thinkers And Preyers to the heavy grunge of Hey Girlfriend with a sprinkle of punk rock groove for good measure, THE DEAD DEADS have us confused. With that being said, the threesome can execute the vision they set their minds to incredibly well.
This is especially true for Murder Ballad II. Spooky riffs set to a cheery beat tell the tale of a couple so madly in love one of them has to die. “If I can’t have you, no one can” runs rampant as Meta and Corey Taylor lead us to our lover’s doom. The peculiar cadence to the verses pulls us in as we’re made to believe our minds are playing tricks on us. With no betrayal from our thoughts, we’re soon singing along to musings of death and gloom winding over a metal worthy chug.
Pulling from many different genres and their influences, THE DEAD DEADS know how to keep a listener on their toes. Yet that novelty can wear off rather quickly. Bouncing from riffs akin to BOWLING FOR SOUP into the brilliant SOUNDGARDEN-esque Cure For Life catches us on the back foot. Whether this is a band which hasn’t fully refined the nuances of their sound remains to be seen. Over 16 tracks however, this is one rabbit hole which takes commitment to dive in to.
Yet there are pockets of the album which show THE DEAD DEADS at their full potential. “I do things in your clothes like the wolf I am” Meta teases with the alluring Deal With Me. A sexy number about the greatness of feeling your oats, Deal With Me experiments with the band’s sonic vision. The vocals may get lost in the mix at a few points but after a few listens, you too with be sashaying to the sound of Daisy’s bass solo. In this “world of wants” who doesn’t love a good bass solo?
The auditory exploration doesn’t end there. Dead Inside is a pure acoustic ballad. Dealing with the numbing nature of heartbreak, we’re invited to lament our latest love. “I never felt so alive now that I’m dead inside” hooks into our soul and pulls it through our spines. Acting as it’s counterpart, Wounded Without Wounds picks us up off the floor with a rousing accordion. “This is not my story, I deserve my glory” Meta sings through gritted teeth. A modernised fight song for the people of today, we’re encouraged to see ourselves as a “grand old flag” and to let ourselves fly. As a small aside; is Golden Showers about what you think it is? We’ll let you work that one out.
While Tell Your Girls It’s Alright is a good soundtrack to an afternoon, it suffers from Kitchen Sink Syndrome. An amalgamation of so many different variables is exciting at first. We’re keen to explore the depths of this band. Yet they’ve opened the door to a world to get lost in. THE DEAD DEADS sit within that realm. With a number of good songs dwelling within the huge tracklists, the deep dive can be worth it. Though it’s one you need to work for.
Rating: 7/10
Tell Your Girls It’s Alright is set for release August 20th via Rumble Records/ONErpm.
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