Death From Above 1979 - Is 4 Lovers
Dance-punk – Released March 26, 2021 – 10 songs, 31 mins
*****ROZ’S PICK*****
ROZ
DFA 1979’s Is 4 Lovers is an album that I’ve been looking forward to reviewing for the special fact that this was the first band me and the rest of the TSR gang were able to see together in a long, long time. To be precise, this is the first live show I’ve been to since before COVID - yes, the first time I’ve heard a live guitar blast through a speaker since the summer of 2019. Man, that hurts just to type.
Needless to say, when I chose this album before heading back to St. John’s, Newfoundland to catch this show with the boys, I was pretty hyped. A bands ability to play their albums out live with a similar quality as their studio sound (while definitely an ambitious feat as I know how much “studio magic” goes into a majority of every album sent out to the masses) is a gigantic selling point for me; this curiosity was further pressed by the fact that the band itself is two guys: bassist Jesse F. Keeler and drummer and vocalist Sebastien Grainger. Two band members in a rock-punk band… how the hell can this be done? Guess I’d be finding out at the live show!
Sweet, sweet live music. How I’ve missed you.
The bass was plugged in, the drummer gave the countdown and we were off to the races - boy oh boy, they did not disappoint. Like a punch to the chest, the duo pulled off an amazing performance and my questions were quickly answered, mainly if a two-person band could cover so much sonically in a live setting (yes) and could a drummer really give an amazing vocal performance (also a big yes - does this guy have the lungs of a blue whale or what?).
Onto the task at hand: the album’s sound is raw, it’s heavy, and it comes in a neat little package at 31 minutes over 10 tracks. Short and sweet? I definitely thought so, which was a huge breath of fresh air after being sucked into a 3 hour music vortex from our double header last time. Is 4 Lovers was exactly what the doctor ordered and had everything I needed - heavily distorted guitars, warm analog synths and hard hitting drums, which altogether cut through my eardrums like a fully automatic machine gun. Personal stand-outs for me ranged from the real heavy stuff (Modern Guy/One+One), to the lighter stuff (Love Letter/No War), to the extremely creative (Glass Homes in particular, between the synthesis and effects pedals my mind was effectively blown into a million tiny pieces). Death From Above’s Is 4 Lovers is a high octane ride that ended up giving me a dose of exactly what I was looking for. Sounded real damn good live, too.
Overall Rating: 8.3/10
Favourite Song: One + One
REID
The Death From Above 1979 duo from Toronto, Ontario, return with their fourth studio album, Is 4 Lovers. One word in that sentence is remarkable when listening to their music and that’s ‘duo’. Sebastien Grainger pulls the ‘Don Henley’ as singer/drummer while Jesse Keeler is bass/synth/keyboard/backup vocals. My appreciation for that kind of talent cannot be understated. And the moustaches. Also friggin great. My first exposure to DFA1979 was The Physical World in 2014. A jam packed 36-minute beauty. Highly recommend. I’ve caught them live twice, once backstage at Voodoo Festival in New Orleans in 2014 and a few weeks ago with my TSR mates. Both were memorable. Check out the link below for a taste of their live performance.
The album kicks off five for five. The signature DFA sound is on full display with Modern Guy, One + One, Free Animal, and N.Y.C. Power Elite Parts I and II. A quick pace set in motion by the drums, supported by a catchy, distorted lick and capped off with Grainger’s distinct and adaptable vocals. From song to song, you’re head banging, dancing in place or trying to keep up with the drums on the steering wheel. The first two are their singles and deservedly so. They’ve released fun videos worth checking out.
Things take a turn at Glass Homes with a shift to a more melodic, synth driven sound. Aside from the heavy part in Mean Streets, the final four songs are much more chill. Another enjoyable side of the band.
DFA 1979 stick to the script on Is 4 Lovers. It slaps hard, is fast-paced and flows very well. The guys know what works for them, cut out the filler and deliver a very satisfying half hour of music.
Overall Rating - 8.0/10
Favourite Song - One + One
LUNDI
The first ever TSR album review was the good Canadian boys of PUP. The first ever TSR Instagram post was Vancouver’s own Peach Pit. It sure feels fitting that the first post COVID live show for TSR was Canadian duo Death From Above 1979 as they began a North American tour in support of their most recent album Is 4 Lovers.
Before getting into the album I just have to say how awesome these two are in a live setting. Incredible energy and their skillset in bringing their albums to life on stage is just exceptional. Particularly Grainger’s uncanny ability to sing and drum at such a high pace will never not amaze me. If you ever have a chance to check them out do yourself a favour and grab a ticket.
Is For Lovers is DFA’s fourth full length album and continues to see the band build on the dance punk rock niche genre that they’ve thrived in and pushed the musical boundaries of. From right out of the gates with Modern Guy this album thumps in your ear with tasty distorted bass lines and thumping drums until about the midpoint on Glass Homes which sees the duo mostly put their instruments to the background to show off their song writing chops. It’s a tasteful departure from the norm but the organization of the album tracks seems like a misstep as a mixture of the two styles throughout the course of the album likely results in a better listener experience.
The overall album is extremely well produced which is no surprise given Keeler’s background with MSTKRFT. The layers here are knocked out of the park and the bells and whistles of it all are positioned to give an added bonus to each track yet not overwhelm.
Lyrically the album is solid and improved from previous works. With such high energy though DFA is one of the few bands that doesn’t see the listener take away lyrical themes with them at the end. The music can be overwhelming to the point that they could sing about basically anything.
Is 4 Lovers is another collection of excellent production and hard hitting instrumentals that continues to make it seem unbelievable that DFA is just two guys. Good Canadian boys I tell ya.
Overall Rating: 7.6/10
Favourite Song: Modern Guy