Album Review: Daddy’s Beemer — ‘Denmark’
Posted: by The Editor
A brief synopsis of just about any song on Denmark, the debut full length from Daddy’s Beemer, could double as a major plot point in a coming-of-age film. Album opener “California” is about longing to flee to the west coast in hopes of staving off monotony. “Dancer” details the agony of being too gauche to feel comfortable talking to women. And “It’s Best Not to Ask You Why” is the byproduct of realizing moving on from a relationship without closure can still feel adequate.
The album reveres romance just as much as it bemoans it. There’s twee, picturesque lyrics scattered throughout that sound like they were pulled from Tumblr circa 2014, like “cool autumn breeze flows through your hair,” and “we stayed drunk, then I told you shit I knew I’d regret.” But there’s also tracks like “Boxes,” which is about crafting a phony persona with the goal of making someone else fall for you. One particular line in “Amethyst” feels like an apt distillation of the record’s themes: “I’m afraid of falling, so I jump.” It’s a lyric that has any number of potential interpretations, but one is that while fear is innate, it doesn’t have to be a roadblock. Love is hard: pursue it anyway.
The themes and lyricism make Daddy’s Beemer comparable to some of their indie-rock predecessors who also tapped into vulnerability. Much like The Maine, they don’t try to downplay how immersing and consuming falling for someone can be. ”Flowers,” which mourns the end of a relationship and the fulfillment it brought about, feels like it could’ve been written by Foxing in that it’s a dour tale bereft of a silver lining. Their idyllic depictions of life, especially their proclivity for deeming mistakes as inevitable instead of catastrophic, feels indebted to The Menzingers.
Sonically, it emanates elegance and silkiness, with falsettos that glide and vocals that soar. But there’s also some surf rock influence drizzled in, like the influx of hoppy momentum on “Somewhere Warm” and when the riffs turn gritty on “Poisonous Mind.” It’s in the same vein as Current Joys and Surf Curse, but more zealous and ambitious. They’re skilled in crafting music that feels soothing without being dull; intricate without being convoluted. Denmark has the ability to remind you of the stipulations attached to chasing joy while still making you want to take those chances anyway.
Disappointing/Average/Good/Great/Phenomenal
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Bineet Kaur | @hellobineet
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