Although holding fast to their indie ethic, the Damnwells have made impressive strides throughout their roller coaster career. Veering very little from the standard roots rock MO they established early on, they’ve consistently upped the ante in terms of both production and song craft with each consecutive effort.
The fifth album by this Brooklyn-based quartet provides a tribute to that dogged persistence. Appropriately self-titled, it reunites a band that for years struggled with personnel changes and label deals gone wrong. Yet, as its songs indicate, they’ve still managed to persevere. Indeed, with production by Salim Nourallah, the man behind the boards for the Old 97s and an accomplished solo artist in his own right, The Damnwells echoes the sound of a group that’s finally emerged victorious.
Leader Alex Dezen, the man who’s carried the band’s banner throughout their entire 15 years, sounds suitably determined and defiant, with songs such as “Money and Shiny Things”, “Kentexas” and “Too Old to Die Young” all reflecting his enthusiasm. There are times when we hear echoes of others as well — the aw-shucks homespun vitality of the Gin Blossoms in “Lost” as well as the spunky pop of Elvis Costello, Squeeze and Nick Lowe on “Wreck You” and “She Goes Down”. Even when Dezen rattles off a list of modern annoyances on “Kill Me,” it’s frustration, not defeat, that looms largest.
Of course Dezen is well suited to the task. Aside from his day job with the Damnwells – carrying the brand at times when he was the only individual who could rightfully claim the name – he’s contributed his songwriting skills to any number of albums by other artists, including the Dixie Chicks, Dave Grohl, the Jayhawks’ Gary Louris, Sara Bareilles, Kelly Clarkson, and various others. He frequently freelances as well, lending guitar and vocals to albums by Cody Simpson and – amazingly enough — Justin Bieber, among others.
That last credit notwithstanding, Dezen provides the band its focus. As a result, The Damnwells is an album that’s strikingly sardonic yet lyrically astute in its scope. The band – Dezen (vocals, guitar), Dave Chernis (lead guitar), Ted Hudson (bass), and Steve Terry (drums/percussion) – adds an emphatic and unfailing delivery that ensures that Dezen’s stance remains firmly grounded.
If this sounds like the stuff that movies are made of, it’s hardly a surprise. In 2007, documentary filmmaker Chris Suchorsky produced an independent film entitled Golden Days, which gave the full story of the Damnwells and their struggles with Epic Records early. The work was named Best Documentary at the 2007 Phoenix Film Festival and was further shown at over a dozen film festivals in the US and Europe.
Still, it’s been nearly eight years since that documentary appeared, time enough for the Damnwells to draw attention back to their original template and etch their image for the future. One can only hope that the band – now reconvened and seemingly more determined than ever – can hopefully go forward and produce more albums as sturdy and as stunning as this. Fans of the band and new converts alike should certainly hold on to hopes that they will.