Rockmaker: A Look into Dandy Warhols Newest Album
Written by Sage Banks
If you’re looking for your next no-skip constant repeat album for the spring look no further. The Dandy Warhols newest album, Rockmaker, is nothing short of electric and catchy. Running about thirty-seven, with 11 tracks, The Dandy Warhols have created an incredibly captivating album.
Combining multiple genres including shoegaze, synth pop, power pop, and a few others, it is undeniable that they have created a very personal and unique sound. With the integration of brass instruments, chimes, and quirky keyboard effects this album is not only fun to listen to, but one that keeps you on your toes. Along with their catch beats, multiple songs use vocal distortion which adds to the ambiance without being distracting. I created a listing experience that is both very distinctive, and pleasant.
Out of all the tracks, there is one that I kept coming back to, even after writing this review. Track ten, Real People, is one of the tracks that truly shines through in this release. Nearing the end of the album, the song starts incredibly strong with a guitar and drum intro before getting into the first verse, which has a similar cadence to spoken word poetry. The addition of layering, vocal distortion, and chimes make this song one of the most fun to listen to. The energy of the song is incredibly reminiscent of the early 2000’s, and the “real people” adlibs continue to linger in your head even after the song has been completed.
The Dandy Warhols do an incredible job of creating contrasting ambiances within their music. I will never stop loving you is beautifully haunting, with an underlying feeling that can only be described as yearning. In contrast, Root Of All Evil feels almost the opposite, with “The root of all evil is desire” being one of the first lyrics heard in this song. This song does not feel like love and yearning but more as if your brain is being picked about the economic state of the world as you’re staring into a lava lamp. It is undeniably one of the most fun tracks to listen to and think about with a beat that is bubbly in contrast to some of the other ones heard on the album.
Overall The Dandy Warhols have created an incredible piece. Their use of instruments and layering create something that is not only fun to listen to but will get your mind thinking about a few things as well. If you are looking for your next album consider checking out Rockmaker, and if you’re a fan of that check out some other music The Dandy Warhols have released, available on their Spotify. The amount of work and creativity put into this album truly shines through, and it could be your next on-repeat listen!
