Time Well Wasted
We Know Better, 2021
9/10
The Texas outfit The Deathray Davies had a good run in the early 2000’s, with several well received albums of their indie rock formula that embraced garage rock and power-pop, too. After frontman John Dufilho penned 13 tracks that he felt were ideal for the band’s formula, despite all members being involved in various other projects, everyone was more than ready to resurrect The Deathray Davies.
The album gets off to a nostalgic start with the power-pop fun of “Tapping On The X-Ray”, where sturdy riffs and energetic drumming interact in timeless ways, and “Oh Stars” follows with a calmer approach as strategic keys are met with some modern day indie-rock ideas.
Near to the middle, “Close Your Eyes And Floor It” flows with a punchy delivery of charged retro rock, while “Medicine Hat” thumps with firm keys in its very apparent and welcomed influence from their namesake, The Kinks. “Lucas I’m In Room 39”, one of the best tunes present, then offers a fuzzed out and restrained rocker that’s packed with calmer moments of psychedelic ideas.
Landing close to the end, “You And Me Until The End” might be the most forceful song, where rugged melodies and soaring backing vocals take us back to the best moments of the ‘90s, and “Trust Me Tonight” exits the listen with a soft strummer that finishes with playful keys and crisp percussion as the vast talent of the band is on full display.
A decade and a half is a long gap between records, but Dufilho and company pull off an excellent comeback that’s often rooted in the ‘60s, but not without punk, New Wave and Brit-pop nods that pick up right where they left off in 2005. Let’s just hope their next album isn’t forecasted for 2035.
Travels well with: Clifffs- Panic Attack; The Kinks- Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround Part One