With the release of ‘Golden Record’ comes a heartfelt, personal album which marks the culmination of a journey of exploration by ‘The Dangerous Summer’ in their career to date. Named after the famous Ernest Hemingway novel about the writer’s travels in Spain with two renowned matadors the eagerly anticipated third album captures perfectly the spirit of storytelling with the band opening up their feelings to us like characters in the unfolding pages of a book.
Opener ‘Catholic Girls’ is a raw and emotionally charged anthem with big guitar riffs and sets the tone for the rest of the album with an ode to where the band came from and about growing up. Next up ‘Sins’ is a well crafted ballad fuelled by vocalist AJ Perdomo’s earnest and passionate voice. The track is about AJ’s wife and their experience of being apart for a while. As the album plays you hear the band expose their soul with every track conjuring up feelings of nostalgia which transpose with our own experiences in similar situations. ‘Drowning’ has a catchy melody and features harmonising by band members. The track is full of angst and about being the person you are because it makes you feel good. Fourth track ‘Knives’ is a questioning song about belief that uses powerful imagery and you can really connect with the forceful longing to understand in the lyrics as AJ sings ‘And I will always return to you. Cause in a way I belong to you’.
Another big anthem and the album ‘love song’ is ‘Miles Apart’ with dramatic and powerfully charged vocals and uplifting melody. The album closes with ‘Anchor’ which provided a fitting ending; the track is about that immense feeling of having achieved something major and spilling blood, sweat and tears to get there.
‘The Dangerous Summer’ first got together back in high school in their hometown of Ellicott City, Maryland and self-released their first EP ‘There Is No Such Thing as Science’ in 2007 before signing to California based Hopeless Records later that same year. The group released their first album ‘Reach for the Sun’ in 2009 followed by their second album ‘War Paint’ in 2011 to spectacular acclaim marking the band as one to watch.
‘Golden Record’ heralds a new beginning for the band and they seem to have shed their skins to tell all about their history ready for future transformation. What I liked most about the album was its honesty and the sentiment to be found in every track taking you on a journey signposted with messages that get you thinking and reminiscing. The album will definitely provide a rewarding listen for longstanding fans of the band.
Listen to ‘Golden Record’ in full below:
Claire Grant
