CULTURE EATERThe Dangerous Summer don’t know the meaning of slowing down. If they’re not touring the world, they’re in the studio pushing out solid release after solid release.
Coming Home is no exception.
The album opens with title track “Coming Home”. Soft piano and booming drums lure into an explosion of sound with a simple yet impactful riff. It’s not long before AJ Perdomo’s unique rasp comes into play.
Whilst on full display throughout the album, AJ’s vocal diversity shines on “All I Ever Wanted Was A Chance To Know Myself'” and “Sideways”. “All I Ever…” mostly sits in AJ’s lower range, but come the last chorus he goes up an octave with ease in order to kick you in the ear-arse. In “Sideways” the vocals carry urgency throughout the verses; in the choruses a vulnerable falsetto tugs at the heartstrings.
Some of Coming Home‘s songs go more for variation. The heartbreaking “Big Green Eyes” is a simple, yet staying acoustic ballad. “Gold Star” has verses that sound like something you’d find on a Flock Of Seagulls album. The country-based ballad “Polarity” helps enforce an eclectic feel to the album. That said, there remains a sense of familiarity throughout, especially within “Dimensional Love”, a song sounding like someone took “Reach for the Sun” and filled it with steroids. With its reverb-driven guitar in the chorus and the shifting drum patterns, it’s sure to be a fan favourite.
Whilst I spoke about the vocals earlier, the drumming is worth mentioning. Christian Zawacki has not just listened to a scrappy demo; he paid attention to vocal patterns and tightly plays off them. He also snugly locks in with the bass whenever necessary. Everyone here is adding something worth grabbing onto, but I keep coming back to the drumming when I listen to Coming Home.
Coming Home is another step in the right direction for The Dangerous Summer. It seems as though they’ve found a new sense of self and it pays off. Every chord, vocal melody and and drum stroke has real heart behind it. The album displays some of the band’s most confident songwriting, leading to some impactful and stunning moments.
Coming Home is available here.