New album: Dot Dash || Madman In The Rain

Singer/guitarist Terry Banks (Tree Fort Angst, St. Christopher, Julie Ocean and the Saturday People), bassist Hunter Bennett (Julie Ocean) and drummer Danny Ingram (founding member of Youth Brigade, Emmapeel, Madhouse) have nothing left to prove. They have made their mark with several memorable and classic records. For the past 11 years, their main project has been Dot Dash, releasing six full lengths in that period. If this is the first time you hear about Dot Dash, i can’t really recommend one out of the six. All of these records are worth checking out. Dot Dash simply seem incapable of making a bad record, and if you’d make a greatest hits record of the band’s discography, it would feature an equal amount of songs from each release. Those who are familiar with the band, will probably smile at the idea of a greatest hits record, and how insanely great that would be.

Dot Dash’s last album dates back to 2018, and I was surprised to discover there is a new one out this week. It’s called Madman In The Rain, and Banks, Bennett and Ingram again do not disappoint. Madman In The Rain will sound instantly familiar to fans – the warm and distinct voice of Banks is such a joy to behold. The band’s sound still has firm roots in eighties music and is a mix of jangly powerpop, mod, punk and indie rock. Songs like Forever Far Out, Tense & Nervous, Airwaves and Saints / Pharaohs are prototypical Dot Dash hits. The new record feels more varied than the average Dot Dash record though. There are more pop oriented and slower songs, and the record closes with Dead Gone, a song that may very well be the most upbeat song in the band’s discography yet – I have to test this assumption later.

Dot Dash have nothing left to prove but they keep going at it, winning over hearts and minds of music fans one at a time. Really, this band deserves a much bigger fanbase. Or like Dot Dash sing “You can’t go on, you can’t go back. You gotta have a heart to have a heart attack.” Madman In The Rain is out now through The Beautiful Music.

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