Listening to a podcast last night, there was a discussion about what constituted “Prog”. I love these conversations, these weird genres that people give to their music (post-blackened Hardcore is still my favourite). They are all, when it comes down to it, bollocks. Arbitrary things that are used to make people seem way more intelligent than they actually are.
So prog? Well it means nothing, Just like its pretty much a thankless task to define DZ Deathrays. Seriously, whatever you think they are, they are.
“Positive Rising Part 2” follows some two years on from part one, At my conclusion of the review of that one I said this: “You can be certain that “Positive Rising: Part 1” is very good indeed, what you can’t be sure of Is how part 2 will sound. It’ll be compelling, though. Interesting and eminently catchy too, if this is anything to go by.”
Fast forward to 2021, and the world has been on pause. This has affected DZD too, given that part one was recorded in the USA, while this one was from their native Australia and positivity? To be honest, its been in short supply,
The upshot, of all this? Simple really, while it’s the same band, and all that, this is a very different feeling record to Part 1. Harsher, heavier, more aggressive, more abrasive. But still superb.
In fact, if you want to look at the difference in vibe between the records, then I’ll give you this: The jewel in the crown of the last one was a track called “In-To-It” which was hedonism writ large. “Don’t give a fuck about tomorrow morning” it said. This time around there’s lots of this: “Get off the internet / Turn down the noise / No more 60 Minutes / Don’t let them have a voice … Reading a headline / Choosing your side / Miseducated they try to change your mind.” That’s on “Make Yourself Mad” and basically, welcome to 2021.
DZD, though, are still a fabulous and innovative band. The modern pulse in their music (check out the opener “Skeleton Key”) is married with a classic understanding of what makes rock songs, roll, as it were.
“Fear The Anchor” sips from a punk rock cup, while “Kerosene” does something else entirely. “I’ll be right here, adrenaline in my heart” sings Shane Parsons over a harsh backbeat – one that makes good, in truth on their “dance” epithet. Lachlan Ewbank writes the music, and his fertile imagination sees stuff like “Fired Up” do something like Dinosaur Pile-Up, while “Riff City” is well named. Happily unhinged. And you imagine that this is going to sound fantastic live.
A record that barks and bites doesn’t have ballads. It does have something called “Golden Retriever”, which is tinged with regret at least and an indie guitar line or two, and an angular cruncher called “Swept Up”. Indeed, its tempting to think of them as a pair, and the trilogy is topped off by a mighty slab of whatever called “Run The Red”.
The whole thing (assuming we are still viewing these records as a whole) is underscored by the title track. It is incredible in scope and ambition – here I am talking about the song, but I could just as easily be talking about the collection in general.
And the words: “I am hoping for a positive rising” seem to burn with hope for the future. It’s cool to have belief, after all. I am not sure about that any more than I have a clue what “prog” is. What I am utterly convinced about, though, is DZ Deathrays are one of the most innovative bands around.
I am positive that is the case in fact.
Rating 8.5/10
