While listening to Chic, the second LP by Canadian rock-‘n’-rollers Dangereens, two things become immediately clear: One, this band is the real deal. Two, these guys were born five decades too late.

Then again, this is not really news. At Add To Wantlist, we are fans of the band, and their 2020 debut Tough Luck made both my and Dennis’ year-end lists. I described that record as “Dangereens channel their inner Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson to create an album that is full-on sleazy glam rock ‘n’ roll.” The follow-up dials down the Replacements comparison — it’s still there but more subtle. It’s like the band learned some new tricks and dove even deeper in the classics in their record collections. This is a throwback rock-‘n’-roll record that mixes Stones-esque rock, glam rock, and power pop, capturing everything great about rock-‘n’-roll before the ’90s kicked in.

What makes Dangereens such a great band is that none of their music feels ironic. Their songs are crafted, trimmed, and cut to maximize fun and minimize extra baggage while still sounding extremely vibrant and loose. Let’s dive into a few standout tracks. The huge chorus of the glam-rockin’ Fly By Nighter makes you want to tear off the sleeves of your denim jacket. Death On Two Wheels takes you right to a sweaty bar show where you’re having the best time. Any Day Now shows how much pop sensibility Dangereens have and that their talent isn’t limited to loud rock-‘n’-roll. If there’s any knock against Dangereens, it’s that they do not have a cool band logo you could scribble on your notebook.

I love how it’s 2024 and there are multiple bands trying and succeeding to capture not just the spirit but also the songwriting and sound of a time when most of us had yet to be born or were too young to experience it. I’d count The Lemon Twigs and Uni Boys among those bands, even though they are all reviving different corners of rock-‘n’-roll history. Like those bands, Dangereens are firing on all cylinders, holding nothing back.

Chic is out now on Alien Snatch!, who simultaneously released that killer record from fellow Canadians Real Rejects. Who says lightning can’t hit twice, eh?

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp