Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Daniel Fried made his mark in bands like Bad Sports, Radioactivity, Mind Spiders, Video, Wax Museums and Silver Shampoo, but ultimately he also wanted something with his own name, his own sound and his own principles. It led to TV’s Daniel, and to this full-length debut album, Never Change. Ever since the release of the Maybe We’ll All Die 7″ in 2019, with the amazing anthem Better Than It’s Been on the B-side, I’ve been looking forward to this moment, only now understanding why it took so long. We get ten diverse songs (including the A-side of the aforementioned single) exploring heartbreak, death and self-worth, songs that are difficult to pigeonhole due to their atypical orchestration and structures. At its core this is punk rock, but influences from Britpop, glam rock and even electronic dance music make this a lot richer than usual. From cinematic soundscapes to bombastic percussion and a closing track of almost 8 minutes: it’s a lot to take in, but I think TV’s Daniel has just raised the bar for contemporary alternative music.
Never Change, produced by Chico Jones and Daniel Fried, is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Wild Honey Records. Featuring Daniel Fried (vocals, guitar, bass, synth), Lisa Alley (bass, vocals), Jason Smith (lead guitar, synth), Mike Garrido (guitar, space drum, vocoder), Chris Prorock (drums), Zach Blair (guitar, vocals), Chico Jones (vocals, piano, additional instruments), Erin Frazier (additional vocals) and Something Samuel (saxophone).
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