Dum Dum Girls — End of Daze EP

The End Times Never Sounded So Chill

After the release of the highly successful Only In Dreams, Dum Dum Girls vocalist/guitarist Dee Dee has officially come into her own as the band’s front-woman. That soaring trajectory of vocal control and ferocity only floats higher on End of Daze. The five song EP expertly mixes lo-fi quirks and lush guitars with echo-drenched vocals. Opener “Mine Tonight” rolls like a sea shanty across the soundscape, crashing into “I Got Nothing,” a more lovelorn song reminiscent of the tracks on Only In Dreams. That song, as well as “Mine Tonight” and “Trees and Flowers,” was originally slated for Only In Dreams, only to be left on the cutting room floor due to a difference in feel.

The slowed ambiance of these songs make “Lord Knows” seem like a perfect marriage of the fervor found on Only In Dreams with the quiet complacency of “Trees and Flowers.” “Lord Knows” has a distinct hook, its vocals layered like a church choir, with hints of pipe organ tones supporting the whole piece. It’s like a testimonial to the Those Darlins/Best Coast era. Towards the end of the song, there’s even a sparse come-down from all the rich harmonies, where it’s just guitar and Dee Dee, tellin’ it like it is.

“Season in Hell” ends the EP, finally mentioning its name and drawing on The Cure-esque grooves, making Hell sound like not too bad of a place. At first guess, End of Daze might’ve been made as a final send-off before the Mayans’ shoddy predictions came true, but even its closing notes and final cadenza make the eponymous EP too hopeful for that. Here’s to what’s next.

April Siese: Music journalist, stagehand, and worker of odd-jobs based out of New Orleans, LA. Find me on twitter @ayetalian
Related Post
Leave a Comment