Welsh singer-songwriter Daddy Drwg has revealed his debut album A Tree Called Happy, harmonious and made of rock hymns and terrifying ballads. Review.
A TREE CALLED HAPPY – DADDY DRWG
What seems to start like a sexy anthemic rock track is actually a stalking story, from the stalker’s point of view. It’s pretty chilling and gripping. Daddy Drwg (pronounced Droog) opens A Tree Called Happy with this song, I’m Your Waste of Time. Its riffs are immediately effective, quickly followed by round and subtle synth notes, adding great textures to the whole thing. And textures are everywhere in this record, mainly on the vocals, making them unforgettable. It’s a wonderful introduction. That kind of song, with different undertones, Daddy Drwg has many. By connecting sounds and genres that seem apart at first glance, he builds a solid repertoire through this record.
Eyes Wide Shut and 1am Gmt are softer, more folk, too, but keep precise guitar work and delicate and tangible arrangements. The additional sounds of orchestral strings on this third track are a great example. For Domino, he changes the pace. Catchy as it should be, it’s a pretty motivating one, with introspective lyrics born of a breakup. For the second half of the record, Previously Known as the Fool shows a tender, altruistic and sober pop-rock atmosphere. The piano dominates this moving ballad, letting some unexpected and surprising experimental sounds in.
Still soft with Words on the Back of My Hand, Daddy Drwg confirms his ability to use these rhythms to create terrifying atmospheres with Object. When We Are Young is a lot more upbeat, but the real pearl of the record, to me, is Lean on Me. Its textured riffs are infiltrating its introduction before coming back on the chorus with panache. Orchestral additions are also progressively back for the second part of the track. It’s happier, playful and lighter. Daddy Drwg, who’s recorded all instruments and produced it all, closes A Tree Called Happy with While the Cat’s Away, uniting softness and catchy melody in its core. Harmonious, it’s a curious album, powerful and vulnerable that gives more with each spin. Don’t miss it!
