ARTiST: Dylan Donkin
ALBUM: Food For Thoughtlessness
BiTRATE: 170kbps avg
QUALiTY: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.97 Final / -V2 --vbr-new / 44.100Khz
LABEL: Wall Of Sound
GENRE: Indie
SiZE: 23.68 megs
PLAYTiME: 0h 18min 17sec total
RiP DATE: 2007-10-28
STORE DATE: 2007-10-29
Track List:
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01. Make A Choice (Edit) 4:11
02. Diatom Blues 2:10
03. Depression Yesterdays (Demo) 2:44
04. Fall Through The Wall 3:41
05. The Commonaut 2:13
06. Yolk 3:18
Release Notes:
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Dylan Donkin used to be in a band called Echobrain with ex-Metallica bassist
Jason Newstead. But donÆt let that fool you into second-guessing what he sounds
like. In fact, listening to new EP Food For Thoughtlessness itÆs possible that
Mr Donkin himself isnÆt exactly sure what his sound is. But first a bit of
post-Echobrain history:
After the band were caught up in a lawsuit with rival band called Echodrain
(whoÆd have thought a band called Echodrain would have lawyers?), Donkin decided
to do one and headed to Hawaii, where most admirably he developed a music
teaching programme to help parents and children interact musically. And itÆs
that sort of optimism, coupled with an inevitable laidback Island vibe, that
runs through the 6 songs.
ItÆs a few stadium sizes away from metal monsters Metallica, but this isnæt just
one surf dude and his guitar a la Jack Johnson. Like Alec Guinness playing 8
members of the same family in Ealing classic Kind Hearts and Coronets or Eddie
Murphy playing fat clan The Klumps in Hollywood film: Nutty Proffesor 2, the 6
songs that make up this EP may share the same mellow genetics, but are varied
enough to showcase the considerable talents of Mr Donkin.
In mood, itÆs a record of two halves (or 'sides'). Single Make a Choice is
effortlessly upbeat in a hazy lazy kind of way. You can almost hear the Hawaiian
tide breaking on the shore, as a slide guitar works its way over simple bass
lines and gentle brushwork on the drums on Diatom Blues and whatÆs not to like
about putting handclaps in a song called Depression Yesterdays. For the second
half Donkin, ever sensitive, gets a bit darker. Fall Through The Wall and its
slightly reverbed vocal recall Jim James or Neil Young. Instumental The
Commonaut is probably the most interesting, a talented yet troubled piano, drunk
and misunderstood, wails at the world as a quiet lead quitar agrees and a small
choir commentates. And finally, Yolk bids farewell like a slightly more
positive unplugged Kurt Cobain.
It will be interesting to see how Donkin pulls this altogether on a full-length
album; will it sound like an album rather than simply a collection of (very
good) songs? Until we find out, the Food For Thoughtlessness EP is an
intriguing and excellent appetizer, whetting the appetite for the main course to
come.