Legendary American band The Dandy Warhols is back with a darker pop, more punk and freer, too, on ROCKMAKER. Review.
ROCKMAKER – THE DANDY WARHOLS
Ring Dong ring a ding dong, Ring Dong ring a ding ding dong. That’s how The Dandy Warhols are starting ROCKMAKER. With their particularly worrisome and obscure atmosphere, it’s not surprising to hear that these bells are named The Doomsday Bells. And honestly, it gives the general tone of the record. Along with some heavy riffs, equally taken from punk and metal, The Dandy Warhols are sculpting another pop. The one they want to listen to.
Dancing on Danzing With Myself, Teutonic Wine and The Summer of Hate is completely intoxicating. The avalanche of catchy melodies is absurd, the hyper-acidic tone is out of this world, and everything is perfectly wrapped up. Speaking of heavy riffs, the band gets Slash in – why not! – for I’d Like To Help You With Your Problem. Should we accept the offered help if it sounds like a threat? With pleasure here, and again with the metal accents on The Cross, and later with Real People. If they’re getting further from pop with all of them, Roof Of All Evil injects the right amount of brass to go back to it.
What about Alcohol and Cocainemarijuananicotine?… Well, yes, it’s an addictive track and the chorus got me from the first note. 10/10 no notes. And again, with Love Thyself, between an anthem to self-love and a cheeky ego trip. That cheekiness is, like the strength of the chosen riffs, the backbone of ROCKMAKER, and The Dandy Warhols are using it rightly. To end it all, however, they’re inviting Debbie Harry (!) and her clear vocals for I Will Never Stop Loving You. And that’s how they’re closing this new record with a certain panache. It’s a collection of surprising and free sonorities.
