Danny End The Dictators – Prostitutes Of Propaganda
Danny End The Dictators – Prostitutes Of Propaganda – Album Review
DED don’t wanna hear what I have to say.
The thing is, I never go knocking at someone else’s door.
Oddly enough, I found a few things I enjoyed about the opening track “5 Weeks From Today” and felt like Danny End The Dictators were off to a decent start with the new record Prostitutes Of Propaganda. I’m not here to tell ya it’s the track of all tracks or anything like that, but for a DED tune and what I’ve experienced in their catalog to-date, it’s honestly not bad. I’m probably a bit indifferent towards the lyricism and vocal melody to a degree, but regardless of what our good friend here might think, I’m always objective and fair as I can be whenever I write a review. So I might not love the lyricism…big deal – the dude still sings “5 Weeks From Today” well, and the guitar in this track already felt like it made the album worth checking out. Production-wise, I felt like we can instantly hear Danny End The Dictators has stepped it up all around – things sound solid at the start of this new record, and regardless of my opinion one way or the other, that’s truly encouraging.
“Celosa Guillotine” also has some really stellar ideas in the music on display right off the bat. It’s a heckin’ short tune by comparison to how the album starts out…”5 Weeks From Today” tops over the six minute mark, and with “Celosa Guillotine” you’ll find DED at a tight two & a half. There’s not too much to complain about on this second tune…my personal taste aside, all you can ever do as an artist or band is put what you can into something and let the chips fall where they may. I feel like you can hear that Danny End The Dictators have put the effort into this tune and made a point of keeping the attention to detail a priority at the start of Prostitutes Of Propaganda – and honestly, that’s all that matters to me. I know full well that Danny ain’t makin’ tunes specifically for me to enjoy, nor should they be – the only folks they gotta please is themselves, and they should be stoked about how “Celosa Guillotine” came out. I like the differences they make in the vocals here, I like the energy and the melody, and I like that it’s a track that’s still got plenty of grit to it. Guitars continue to be a savage strength in the material.
Yeah man…I mean…I truly hate to disappoint the guys in DED, but I don’t hate this so far. As “Known Unknowns” started, I again felt the sting of quality work in the musicianship, and even in the vocals. I still believe there’s a metric ton of opportunity for Danny End The Dictators to tap into things that’ll make their material even more memorable for the most part, but even in saying that, I think they’ve got a track in “Known Unknowns” that hits the mark in that regard. Like…I’ll remember this one! That in itself is a remarkable improvement if you’re asking me personally…I tend to remember who DED is and what they sound like to a degree from record to record, but I feel like I’ve been waiting to find a track that I’d remember, know what I mean? There are tangible hooks in “Known Unknowns” that’ll stick with us long after the listening is over…and like…good lord – listen to that spot around the 1:55 mark on this tune will ya? The most you’ll find me conceding to ya on this track is that I might have actually enjoyed some MORE of it – how’s THAT for ya Danny boy? I don’t know if I recall having felt that way about a DED tune in the past, but I do feel that way about “Known Unknowns.” Special! It feels like just by the time we’re cracking into it, “Known Unknowns” ends…but…I’d be a silly old fool to complain about this one wouldn’t I? “Known Unknowns” is a damn good tune to add to their catalog, even as short as it is.
And this…where did “Can’t Trust The Weather” come from? DED – you know this is accessible, right? Like…if you’re not careful, people are gonna start listening to ya! Obviously I’m having some fun here, and though I know you can’t tell from things that are squarely behind the scenes over on this side of the screen, I can assure you that I didn’t start it this time around. Or last time either really – all I’ve ever been is honest with the DED crew. Anyhow. I am being serious when I say a track like “Can’t Trust The Weather” is practically as single-worthy as I think I’ve ever heard this band before. Does that make it a better song? Some are gonna say yes, others won’t, neither is right and neither is wrong – but in terms of what actually gets listened to in this world, accessibility reigns supreme and this song has TONS of it. I’ll fully admit to being a bit on the shocked side in listening to this tune…I don’t believe that I’ve ever described Danny End The Dictators as off-putting, but I don’t think I’ve heard a song that is this easy to enjoy on a universal level from them either. The blueprint forward might very well be in this cut’s DNA.
“Spinning” gets close…there are things about this track that I like a lot, and stuff that I’m not as jazzed about I guess. Execution-wise, honestly, Danny End The Dictators has been crushing this album with a really focused lineup of excellent performances. Any feelings about this or that track aside, the actual performances aren’t something you can take any points away from, and that remains to be true on “Spinning” as well. There are some seriously killer things happening on the drums in this tune – and I like a lot of what’s happening in the madness of the vocals on this track as well. I think it’s probably a bit off-color tuning-wise on purpose…I think it’s likely in tune, but DED is going for that hazy & faded feeling like you’d get while you were trying to keep the world still on “Spinning” – so it’s a bit warped, I guess that’s what I’m saying…but it seems to serve a purpose, so I’m cool with that too. Lyrically…that’s the spot I think that DED is still showing some space for evolution and breaking away from rhyme schemes that are too simple or obvious…it’s never good when listeners are able to fill in the next word before it gets there, know what I mean? So there’s a bit of that in “Spinning” – it’s mainly the first verse that ends up suffering the most, because it’s also the most bare bones in the music around that point too – but as things get filled in & the color collage of sound begins to take effect, it’s much less of a hindrance. There are some huge positives to be found in the creative freedom that DED embraces in this track here.
While I’d probably have similar comments about the rhyming nature of “Sex Machine” too…I feel like Danny End The Dictators are pretty damn close to a single-worthy tune on this track as well. I’d be taking a long look at “Sex Machine” and “Can’t Trust The Weather” in terms of support with a video & all that – they’ve absolutely got a much more listenable sound for the masses on Prostitutes Of Propaganda than I’ve heard from them in the past. I know, I know, I know…they come here for the abuse, and they went & put ME in the position of having to be honest about the fact they tightened up and have done a better job on this record than they have in the past. I’m pretty sure they understand my threshold for bullshitting is pretty fuckin’ low…if I had something to say, I’d say it, but the reality is, they’ve done a solid job with everything I’ve heard on this record to be truthful. I don’t just invent stuff to talk shit about where none exists…and not to toot my own damn horn, but a lot of the things I’d pointed out in the previous reviews I’ve written on DED don’t seem to be an issue here. They’ve got undeniable hooks in “Sex Machine” that people are gonna love, and their vibrant musicianship remains a consistent asset. Beyond that, the material on this record seems like it would be FUN to play if you were in the band too, and over time, that can be a big factor in the songs continuing to live on long past when they’re “shiny and new.” It is what it is y’all…whether they’re taking advice & fine tuning things, or what we’re hearing is the natural evolution of the experience of the band playing together, it don’t matter; it’s working in their favor in my opinion – “Sex Machine” is a pretty damn addictive track that has a wicked finale to it.
To be completely fair to Danny End The Dictators, I think the most remarkable aspect of Prostitutes Of Propaganda is the fact that, yes, they changed some things to bend their vibe towards a more accessible sound – but it’s still THEIRS. It’s not like they changed things so much that you wouldn’t recognize them at all…their street cred is still intact at the end of the day, and that probably matters to someone out there. Personally, I think they’ve gone about shifting their sound in the right way, and it was necessary to a degree if DED wanted to give themselves a legitimate shot at catching on – this record accomplishes that. “Shy Knees” is a stellar example of a song I don’t think would have been found on the two albums that I previously reviewed by them…this track points to a new level of maturity in the material that shows the band in a new light that works. As far as the melodies go, the focus has been nothing short of awesome throughout this whole record. I used to feel like there were multiple points where DED was coloring just a bit too far outside the lines – now I feel like they’ve dialed that in, and been as brutally objective as they needed to be in order to really harness what was working and toss what wasn’t. As a result, we get tracks like “Shy Knees” that bring a softer melodic magic to the album, but that contain an Alt-Indie/Rock sound that will separate them from the rest, and they can proudly call their own. I’d be willing to bet that “Shy Knees” will probably be one of the most universally loved songs on this record.
A couple for us, and one for them…that seems to be the rhythm and pulse of this album overall I’d say. While a track like “Diamond In The Snow” is inarguably a bit more niche in terms of its whole psychedelically-tinged sound…I dunno y’all…they’ve got me onboard right now, and I feel like this was actually quite a kickass track too. I’m not here to argue that it’s gonna be one of the more universally accessible tunes, but I’m also not here doing what I do to simply point that kinda shit out either – I’m all for tracks that incorporate a more artistic & creative bend to it, as long as the fundamentals are in line. And they are on “Diamond In the Snow” without a doubt…from the cleverness of the way they morph their timing, to inclusions like the saxophone, to the layers of vocals…I’m all about this really – it feels like this whole song is practically melting through your speakers in a way that you’ve probably never heard before. It’s refreshingly unique, and expertly executed. The drums and guitars remain a solid standout…the bass-lines remain reliable…and in what might even be a stranger twist than you or I would have possibly expected – I think they’ve got stellar ideas in the lyrics to pair with this tune as well. All-in-all, “Diamond In The Snow” is one of the most innovative tracks you’ll find in the lineup of songs on this record, but I’ll be damned if there isn’t something seriously rad AF about this track you’ll find irresistible. Oddly enough, there’s something tangibly addictive here that makes me think I’d also be looking at this song in terms of potential singles to put out in support of this album…”Diamond In The Snow” will likely grab you more than you’d assume at first, and before long, you’ll be hooked like a goon like I am now.
Can’t help but appreciate the way they light the place right up with the guitars as “Allusions” begins. The bass-lines in this track deserve a shout-out too. Overall, I’d say this track is another great example of how Danny End The Dictators has tightened up the corners to produce really spectacular results. With that being said, I’ll cop to “Allusions” probably not being one of my own personal favorites in the set, but that’s much more to do with my own personal taste and the kind of music that resonates with me as it would be anything to do with the way the band executes here. Like I was alluding to earlier on, all you can control is what you can do – and they’ve done all the right things here. If “Allusions” was one of YOUR favorite songs, you’d get nothing but a high-five from me. The way they’ve played it and the attention to detail they’ve put in gives each of these songs the opportunity to become someone’s favorite tune. Good lord – they’re gonna be shocked to find out I’m not half the dick they thought I was & that believing they had more to offer the world than what we were experiencing before was actually correct – because here we are and that’s what’s up. “Allusions” might feel somewhat like terrain we’ve experienced somewhere along the lines before in comparison to the stark uniqueness of something like “Diamond In The Snow” – but even when that’s the case, DED keeps crushing it with focused execution.
“Spoiled” is probably a less consequential tune at just over two minutes in length, but it’s not something you’ll just wanna pass over either – it’s another quality cut, just shorter & not a real make or break track for the album is all. If I was to go and see Danny End The Dictators LIVE, I think I’d definitely want to see this moment play out in front of my eyes…I honestly think they could take a short cut like this one & get straight hyperbolic with it, you feel me? I’m talkin’ about drawing it out to something ultra-ridiculous like a twelve minute epic psychedelically-tinged masterpiece…no one says things can’t change when you play something live, right? As it stands here on the record, “Spoiled” is somewhat similar to how I felt about “Known Unknowns” earlier on in the sense that, once you’re just getting fully into it, they’re just getting out of it, and it’ll wrap up quicker than you likely want it to. Well suck it Trebek – you’ve got the option of pushing repeat and that’ll have to do you for now. Having said that, if they wanna take what they’ve got started in “Spoiled” and release a whole half hour sonic trip inspired by it for an EP, you can put me down as HERE. FOR. IT. because I think that’d be a really kickass way to spend thirty minutes.
LIGHTERS UP BITCHES, LET’S DO THIS. Danny End The Dictators saved the babymaker for the end y’all, so brace yourselves for a ballad to finish this record off in style! They actually remind me quite a bit of Interpol over the course of the final two tracks on Prostitutes Of Propaganda…and that ain’t such bad company to be keeping – I dig a lot of their tunes. “The Wrong Way” is admittedly more versatile of a song than a label of ballad would imply…and sound-wise, they’re much more flexible as the energy picks up fairly soon on this last cut as well. It’s the second longest track on the album, and the longest cut since the very first one…and…yeah…I mean…again, I think the main thing is that they haven’t let themselves down at any point in this lineup. Fuck me & whatever I’ve gotta say – that don’t matter, ever…all that’s important is that they put everything they got into what they do, and I feel like by the time we get to this last track, you’ve gotta appreciate that “The Wrong Way” is done the right way, just like everything on this album genuinely has been. I’m fairly stunned by the audible growth that we hear on this record to be honest with ya. Not entirely surprised, because again, unless you were reading my previous reviews on DED sideways or upside down, you’d know that I felt like there was a large degree of potential in this band that just wasn’t being fully tapped into. Prostitutes Of Propaganda is such a solid step in the right direction that it can’t be ignored, and they deserve major kudos for the efforts they’ve put into this record. They had me a little bit worried with the way things started on “5 Weeks From Today,” which seems to be the track that bridges the gap between their past and the present – but everything beyond that felt like we were experiencing Danny End The Dictators really finding their stride. So if this is “The Wrong Way,” all I can do is encourage them to keep going in the direction they went in on this album…I’m authentically impressed, and feel like everything we hear on this album from performance to production bodes well for their future ahead as they surge towards their full potential.
Find out more about Danny End The Dictators from their official pages below!
Main Site: https://www.dannyendthedictators.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyendthedictators
X: https://twitter.com/_DANNYEND_
Bandcamp: https://dannyendthedictators.bandcamp.com
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/danny-end-the-dictators/1567270694
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