RIYL: Lucero, Okkervil River, Queens of the Stone Age, Sparklehorse
From the stark, gritty innovation of 2001’s So Pretty to the touching introspection of “10000 Lakes” from 2004’s The West is the Future, Kid Dakota front man Darren Jackson crafts alt-rock fitting of the bleak but endearing South Dakotan landscapes from which he hails. Now based in Minneapolis, his foursome tries a more civilized touch on AWinner’s Shadow, their 2008 LP, but searing distorted guitars andpounding percussion still lurk around every turn. The album can seem a bit schizophrenic at times, bouncing between 90’s grunge to alt-country ballads and semi-gloss modern rock, but when the pieces come together Kid Dakota are more than able to hold their own against the usual fare of todays indie rock scene.
Three tracks in, “Chutes+Ladders” is a clear standout that finds Jackson lending his unique vocals to a propulsive guitar riff and a terse but solid melody reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age. The song moves with the driving confidence that a great hook affords as Jackson uses the chorus to exercise his loner existentialism, advising a fellow gasoline sniffer that “There’s nothing we can trust/ The shadow of a doubt/ Is falling upon us.”
Later on, “Of Age” shows some similar promise, starting with a jittery rhythm and edgy, spaced out lyrics but winds up somewhat repetitive and drifts off into some less focused territory. Same MO for most of the slow-tempo tracks, where country influences reliably sidle in but without clear direction the tunes fall regrettably flat. Towards the end of the album “Long Odds” continues this trend of inconsistency, starting as a somewhat pointless song about horse racing but saving itself with a groovy breakdown midway through.
On the whole, Kid Dakota have all the right pieces to make their mark, but seem in desperate need of a no-nonsense producer to bring a bit more coherence to their musical vision. As the band struggles to find its true sound under the huge umbrella of alternative rock, potent songwriting often falls by the wayside, but Kid Dakota is a band to keep watching and seem poised to make great album if they could only find a clear direction through the driving Minnesota snow.
—————————
More Information
—————————
http://www.kiddakota.com
http://www.myspace.com/kiddakota
http://www.speakerphonerecords.com
