Review: Dinosaur Feathers – Fantasy Memorial
In case you hadn’t noticed, Dinosaur Feathers have become one of our favorite local bands over the last year or so. Their tropics-tinged pop is as infectious as it is impressively-crafted — qualities that were well-captured on their previously released singles and EPs. But the band’s just released first full-length, Fantasy Memorial, brings along the infectiousness and craftsmanship and adds skillful scope to the mix, presenting a collection of ten songs that could each easily stick in your head for days at a time and, presented together, seem to meld into a unique, overwhelming aural tapestry.
The first thing most people seem to take note of when listening to Dinosaur Feathers is their gifted use of harmonies — often compared to the Beach Boys and Animal Collective. But while the comparisons may be inevitable and give a good idea of what to expect, the band is clearly comfortable in their own collective skin and making their own way. In fact, we won’t be surprised in the least if, at some point in the future, any band that makes use of multi-male harmonies is compared to Dinosaur Feathers in the same breath as those two. Perhaps that may seem a bit hyperbolic, but they are, indeed, that good. Only time will tell if all those variables — some mysterious, some self-fulfilled — a band needs perfectly aligned for that sort of success will come together for Dinosaur Feathers, but if the first steps are, as they should be, having skill and ability to write high-caliber music and capture that on record, then they’re on the right path.
For us, their standout live staple has been “History Lessons,” so it’s no surprise to find it as a highlight here along with “Teenage Whore,” another live crowd-pleaser. But what’s ultimately great about this album is that it’s now possible to savor these songs and appreciate the intricacies in a way a live setting just never can fully allow. The way these tracks so easily co-exist with more mellow fare like the chilled out grooves over seductively hyper beats of “Holy Moses” and the title track is a feat not easily accomplished.
And speaking of beats, we are continually impressed by the use of pre-recorded/sequenced drum and percussion tracks employed both live and recorded. It’s a rare band that’s able to synthesize beats at least as satisfying as live drums, if not more-so. Where, too often, pre-recorded beats are treated as a substitute for the real thing or, worse, as an afterthought, Dinosaur Feathers seems to thrive on successfully marrying often-frantic and complex rhythms with smoothly executed melodies and harmonies.
The band is currently in the middle of a month-long tour that’s taking them down to SXSW and back by way of points southeast and midwest. We expect they’ll be making plenty of new fans along the way. And we suggest you see them the next chance you have and get a copy of Fantasy Memorial right away.
Here are a few tracks from Fantasy Memorial:
mp3: “History Lessons” by Dinosaur Feathers
mp3: “Holy Moses” by Dinosaur Feathers
mp3: “Vendela Vida” by Dinosaur Feathers
You can also preview the album, via Lala:
