“…I simply cannot take anymore of this fucking parade.” French band DARIA came to my attention via a Facebook update from J. Robbins’ latest band Office of Future Plans. Any thumbs up from those guys for a band means it’s at least two thumbs up and maybe a few toes as well. And you know what? They won’t change the world but DARIA have won me over.
They make the kind of music you put on when you need an escape hatch with more substance than indie disco. 15 years ago it could have been described as U.S. underground indie or edgy power-pop. 10 years ago it would have been labelled as emo-punk or post-hardcore. Whatever mainstream media call earnest, angular guitar rock in 2013, it’s all in the delivery.
Listening to latest album ‘Red Red’ on Spotify was enough to convince me to order the CD from Amazon. These days with so much music available by streaming, I still buy records to encourage the artists I love to keep making music. You can say artists now make their money from tours but at this level I can’t imagine bands such as DARIA or say, Future of the Left, make that much on the road inbetween their day jobs to keep a roof over their heads. Those are the kinds of sexy details no-one talks about but it’s a reality for bands who pursue artistic merit over short-term gain.
Not much point having a #1 album if no-one gives a fuck about your music in five or ten years time.
As a fan of Jawbox and Pollyanna (huge fan of them and singer-songwriter Matt Handley), this is similar underground late 90s/ early 00s rock with a proper edge and subtle European flair about it. This is what Jimmy Eat World‘s over-produced records would sound like if I had any say in the matter. Great songs with strong vocal melody that doesn’t need too much polish – and with plenty of punch.
On the one hand you could say they’re not going to win any hipster points yet at the same time their most recent release is a split 7″ with Office of Future Plans on Dischord Records. Not too shabby.
Both bands recently toured together in the U.S. as well as shared that vinyl, so I’m pleased to see Daria finding new fans far and wide. You look at a band like die! die! die! from New Zealand who practically live on the road – the world over – and wonder why they’re not massive yet. Daria have been around almost as long and possibly don’t have the right UK connections yet to make them a regular fixture over here. Which is a real shame as I think they’re a tight unit live.
I came to this conclusion thanks to the wonders of Google’s video advertising network. You know it as YouTube. Here’s DARIA playing their latest album live in full.
If anyone is interested in booking these guys in Scotland, please do give them a shout. Tell them the petpiranha blog sent you.
LISTEN TO DARIA’S RED RED ALBUM ON BANDCAMP
FIND THEM ON FACEBOOK / TWITTER
