DARTZ! – Once, twice, again! (CD single, Xtra Mile Recordings)
Posted: January 28th, 2007, by Simon MinterCatchy, goodtime, hi-hat-riding guitar pop, with many of the Current Indie Vogue boxes ticked (Stop-start guitar lines? Break for handclaps? Sounds a bit new wave? Tick, tick, tick). ‘Once, twice, again!’ hasn’t done much to advance the Dartz! sound since their previous release, but it’s still a perfectly get-up-and-go slice of infectiousness that would, if you can ignore the extreme Futureheads similarities, work brilliantly in a live context.
The dual forces of math rock skronk and new wave upbeat pop have been converging for some time, and Dartz! are right on that faultline – clear guitar melodies and vocals tightly bound to a jumpy, tight rhythm section. I still hope that they’ll be the one of the bands that drags an increasingly familiar sound into new territories, that brings something truly new into the world, but unfortunately this single isn’t going to kickstart that particular revolution.
Simon Minter
Simon joined diskant after falling on his head from a great height. A diskant legend in his own lifetime Simon has risen up the ranks through a mixture of foolhardiness and wit. When not breaking musical barriers with top pop combo Sunnyvale Noise Sub-element or releasing records in preposterously exciting packaging he relaxes by looking like Steve Albini.
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