Blogs & Rants
Apr 13th 10
Say What You Mean album review by Craccum;
Say What You Mean is the latest album from the Danny McCrum Band. The band has been humming along the airwaves since 2007 after their first debut album, Awake and Restless. With the success of their live shows, and playing support to musical maestros such as Jeff Beck, Bryan Ferry, John Mayer, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Barnes, this band of three is setting themselves high with the release of their new album.
To effect a formal introduction, The Danny McCrum Band is Danny McCrum [vocals/guitar], Matthew Harvey [bass], and Glen Child [drums]. Although each member comes from a different musical background, they manage to come together in perfect unison to create this raw, ripping and riveting sound that is strong enough to cut through your veins. Operating through Paper Plane Productions, which is managed by McCrum himself, the band is an independent group in all aspects.
The Album Say What You Mean is a much heavier offering compared to the band’s back catalogue, resulting in a much closer sample of their live shows. Crafted with the same energy they put into their shows, it’s got enough kick to plough right through a Link bus. The audience, as Danny says, “has changed over the years, which has changed how we approach our sound. It’s not very sort out; there’s more of a freedom to play.” The album plays with darker themes, which contrasts with their previous album.
Their animated, unruly sound almost demands that it be enjoyed. It is one that you might hear spilling out of boisterous pubs that populate the Britomart boardwalk, following ancient kiwi tradition of ‘pub rock’. One is reminded of bands such as Hello Sailor, Th’ Dudes, and DD Smash. Yet at the same time, it holds a certain delicacy which moulds with that pub-like energy. “One People” is a strong opening to the album and you know immediately that you are experiencing the energy of their striding live performance. “I didn’t choose to be born on a wednesday” is one of the first lines of “In My Corner”, the debut release from the album. This song in particular shows the quirky nature of McCrum’s song-writing, while dealing with ‘down-to-earth’ subjects and themes of every day life. The structure that holds the foundations of McCrum’s song-writing reminds me a lot of a young Anika Moa. This makes it an easy listen at any time.
McCrum’s guitar playing leaves an impression that this man grew up with a guitar as an arm. There’s an incredible amount of blues influence in his playing, along with elements of funk and jazz-inspired grooves. His voice quite closely resembles John Mayer’s sultry, dusty, easy-listening style, which is really something to admire. Overall, I feel it’s a sound that captures the ‘essence’ of New Zealand song-writing. It’s practically bursting with kiwiana flavour – the kind that you would only find at a genuine kiwi pub.
Craccum
Dec 18th 09
Say What You Mean album review by Jonny Carson;
Back with his trademark strong musicianship and sophomore album, Danny McCrum looks too young to have been writing music for over 17 years. The Danny McCrum Band bleed emotion from their dynamic instrumentation and well-crafted songs.
Delving into rock, pop, blues and funk the album is a hybrid species comparable with internationals like John Mayer and Dave Mathews Band. The new single In My Corner is an emotionally wrought Foo Fighters-esque track with gravely vocals growling ‘I learnt to draw by tracing my bruises’. Standout All Of You is from the opposite end of the spectrum, a swooning love song featuring some of McCrum’s most tasty guitar work.
Produced by McCrum, Glen Child and Dave Holmes, the album captures the energy of the Danny McCrum Band live performance while preserving a crisp studio production; the musicians’ 101 guide to honesty and quality.
Jonny Carson
Nov 4th 09
Say What You Mean album review by Graham Reid;
Danny McCrum Band: Say What You Mean
This bristling, tight, and emotionally taut album by McCrum and his Auckland band is a real step up from their already impressive debut Awake and Restless which found much favour at Elsewhere.
This time out everything from the energy levels to the songwriting has been taken up a notch or two, there is a sense of real urgency in these rocking songs (some of which have a terrific and understated guitar-funk undercurrent, eg Cold Outside) and these guys are playing like their lives depended on it.
It seems they are a three-piece now (with former guitarist Ben Jurisich still credited but not in bold type) and that has allowed McCrum to really step up with some incendiary guitar work.
This is not just a snapping and electrifying blues-rock album (it is that too) because they bring some other matters into play (the bass-driven Phone Call to the Living recalls Living Colour) and as much as they can sky-scale, they also cut things right back to create impressive dynamics (Harrison with its pared back verses, gear change into blazing electric, jazzy solo and sitar backdrop by Jurisich).
Songs like the fluid ballad All of You and discreetly Pasifika-influenced After the World, the hard hit acoustic on I Got A Question and Cold Chisel-like Over Now give an idea of the breadth this band is capable of.
But mostly there is life-threatening energy (and lyrical anger in places) at work here and with these individually distinctive and crafted songs the Danny McCrum Band have put all other bar-rocking, room-shaking bluesy rock bands on notice.
Mighty, mighty fine.
Graham Reid
Sep 9th 09
After a long winter we're almost there...
What a crazy year it's been! For us it's been one of highs and lows. Everyone has been struggling, the real effects of the recession kicked in, many have been sick and winter has been stubborn (though better than last year). We've been making our second album this year. We started recording in early January and finished in June. Since then we've been working on the business and branding. Things went wrong and dramas took place, but we've ended up with an album we're really proud of. We've also established a relationship and signed with Liberation Music which we're really happy about. Making this album almost drove me over the edge, but great things are happening and it was all worth it. We also got to support Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Tommy Emmanuel this year. Crazy!!
My job now is to plan our first music video for the album and organise the release party. It's been close to a year in the making, but we're almost there!
DM
Feb 24th 09
What bothers me about the recession is…
it feels like people are freaking out over the hype, rather than looking at the actual reality of the situation. I’ve heard of businesses reducing activity, slashing prices, cutting staff hours, halting projects etc… when there are no signs of the recession really reaching them. I know it’s serious for a lot of people, but not everyone. Some businesses are fine as they serve needs that our wants and needs won’t let us go with out. Like food, nappies, coffee, makeup… I could go on!
I know it’s a very serious situation and many people around the world are hurting and I’m not trying to say companies should be careless or ignore what’s happening. But if we all just panic and run around in circles, we will only contribute to the problem getting worse. We need to look at the facts and figures and make calculated decisions. We need to be careful, but hopeful. This will pass and we will be ok.
DM
Jan 15th 09
I’m taking singlets back…
Who decided on the nickname ‘wife beaters’ for singlets? A couple of times over summer I’ve just worn a singlet and friends have cracked jokes about me wearing my ‘wife beater’. Does the stereotype of the fat, bald, sweaty husband in his boxers and singlet beating his wife and drinking a balanced diet of Jack Daniels and beer mean that the rest of us should stop wearing them? I say no and I’m taking the singlet back. The singlet is a great design. Warm under shirts in winter. Cool on their own in summer. I wear them for these reasons. If others want to wear them and beat their wives….that’s their problem.
DM
Dec 3rd 08
New album, new songs, new vibe…
For most of my life I’ve wanted to make a certain kind of album with a certain kind of band. I could never explain it or describe it the right way to make people understood what I was on about. It really comes down to a particular chemistry in the band married with a particular magic in the songs. A mix of strong grooves, catchy melodies, original lyrics, good musicianship, great vibes and lots of goose bump moments.
I’ve been in a lot of bands over the last seventeen years. Worked with more musicians than I can remember and played all styles of music. But none of them have clicked as well as the line up we have now.
We had a late rehearsal last night and it’s only a matter of weeks until we enter the studio to record our new album and even though the songs are rough, as we’re still writing/learning them, I know we’re on to something really good and I’m really excited about it.
This is the most collaborative band and album I have ever worked on and I can’t wait for you to all hear the final result!
Volume up!
DM