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OVERPLAY
Blues rock gets a Carol Smilie-style makeover on this single from Wolverhampton trio The Daniels. Sly guitar licks and soulful rhythms are given some smart New Wave pointiness over a deep shag carpet of indie guitar fuzz. With swagger, sophistication and surprisingly polished production, “Lights” is a dark and interesting concoction.
A pin sharp beat from drummer Duane Poole and spectral bassline from Thomas James Cox are swathed in Stone Roses feedback as frontman Shaun Poole weighs in with an eerie, echoey vocal. The tune racks up drama over that first minute like a pre-menstrual wrestler before everything explodes into the stratosphere and across the dirty night sky during the epic, windswept chorus. It’s part Doves, part Mary Chain, part Cure and all good.
Classy and creepy in equal measure – and still with plenty of radio-friendly potential courtesy of a killer melody – “Lights” doesn’t deserve to be the creation of an unsigned band. And b-side “Took Me For A Ride” points to even greater riches. Here, acoustic guitars and shuffling rhythms hint at a Van Morrison world-weariness on this battered-but-stylish essay. It’s more subtle than the lead track, but done with just as much charm, intelligence and downright coolness. The Daniels done good.
The Daniels
Having just released their Second Single - Lights, The Daniels are a band who are on it, up for it and definatly up there with the best unsigned acts around.
BEACON RADIO
LIGHTS is a suitably blues rock stomper, all thunderous drum sounds and big riffs
The Daniels despite their derivative tendencies, still a band who certainly know how to belt out a decent rock tune.
review by Mike Bond
Review date: November 2007
The Daniels Lights: The musicianship and production is faultless in terms of what they're aiming for. From the opening guitar riff, through to the tempo change in the last quarter, their homage to their musical heroes is at least done justice in its rendition. In fact the vocals are really quite good, at times leaning towards Chris Isaak's warbling timbre.
THIS IS FAKE D.I.Y
Huw Nesbitt
The Daniels Lights:
The track begins with a pinging of guitar strings that pulls a listener into its rhythmic pattern and continues with this increasing beat little by little becoming catchier and electric. The sound may have the odd influence from the seventies rock/blues era,
The gradual drum and guitar build up to the instrumental is superior to the rest of the track though and an excellent way to end.
ROOM THIRTEEN
'Lights' is your bread and butter rock and roll. It's classic, satisfying if hungry
CLICK MUSIC
The Daniels - Lights
Very easy on the ear. Very slickly produced. Very marketable.
TASTY
Rhythm & Booze
The Daniels
Lights
The Daniels are a three-piece band hailing from Wolverhampton, the group formed back in April 2005and since then have been gaining something of a reputation for their passionate mix of old school classic rock and modern day indie.
Lights is the band's debut single, which they recorded with the ever prolific Gavin Monaghan at Magic Garden Studio. The title track see's the band weld together their indie and rock influences to create a hard hitting anthem complete with chugging rock riffs, marching beats and powerful yet melodic vocals. The track is an infectious ball of energy and the full on scuzzy rock finale has to be applauded.
The single is backed with Took Me For A Ride, which is a more stripped down acoustic affair, showcasing another, yet equally contagious side to The Daniels sound. Strummed guitars and brushed drums combine, providing the perfect launching pad for an inspired and heartfelt vocal from Shaun Poole, who deliveres in wonderfully controlled yet passionate manner. Oddly this track brings to mind the likes of The Coral or a stripped down version of The Rumble Strips (which in my opinion has to be a good thing) and is perhaps a sound that the band should investigate further.
Both tracks on here are well worth a spin and it'll be interesting to see where The Daniels go from here.
Rhythm & Booze Rating 8
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The Daniels - Single - Penny's Name
Another great piece of British pop/rock here from the excellent The Daniels; 'Penny's Name' thumps along with an amazingly catchy percussive beat - typically British, typically catchy, typically The Daniels! Pop for pop's sake methinks - but good pop not cheap, tacky pop!
This Wolverhampton trio are so solid that they sound like a four piece or more - certainly they fill enough musical space to be bigger and yet The Daniels don't push things too far, they keep it nicely proportioned and within acceptable bounds. The Daniels' punchy pop way is massively infectious and hence bloody hard to ignore; these dudes can certainly get yer feet a tappin' and with just a couple of plays you'll find yourself singing along with the guys - and that's for sure!
Although The Daniels' Myspace suggests that The Daniels are 'Rock/Southern Rock/Indie', everything I've heard from them tells me that they err on the commercial side of anything rock - The Daniels sound as if they were born to make good rangy pop music. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that The Daniels have completely sold out to rock banality, no way Jose - these guys write well and their songs have character and depth. The Daniels just have this way of creating a sound that's easy on the ear and memorably enjoyable but without being trite - now aint that a description of good pop music? There you go then!! Good music made simple!!
'Penny's Name' by The Daniels is a tasty piece of Brit pop equal to anything any of their contemporaries could offer. The Daniels have it in them to be very big - they just need that little bit of luck and it could all take off - perhaps 'Penny's Name' will prove to be the launch pad they need - I'd like to think so!
Peter J Brown aka toxic pete (www.toxicpete.co.uk)
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