DMA's - 'For Now' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. For Now

2. Dawning

3. Time & Money

4. In The Air

5. The End

6. Warsaw

7. Do I Need You Now?

8. Break Me

9. Lazy Love

10. Tape Deck Sick

11. Health

12. Emily Whyte

April 27th sees the release of DMA’s new album “For Now” and I have to admit I was intrigued to listen to this album, since they seem to be grabbing a lot of press at the minute and wondered if they’re worth it…or their PR company are just very, very good.

Well, things get off to a good start. The album opens with title track “For Now” which is just brilliant – it has the kind of swagger that we saw from the early Charlatans and The Verve, and is a perfect album opener…maybe too good of an opener because during the first listen through, I found myself getting more and more disappointed that the rest of the album wasn’t in the same vein and started mentally chalking one up to the mega PR verdict. But, on the second listen through you start to pick up on just how good the album is, and after the third listen you’ve stopped regretting the diversity and simply celebrate the fact they’ve got the repertoire, and the balls, to mix things up and make it work.

Apart from “For Now”, there are some great songs on the album – “Do I Need You Now” has a dreamy quality about it, “The End” just feels like an instant classic and “Health” is, just quietly, beautiful, “Warsaw” is just pure Pop and new single “In The Air” is OK as far as ballad-type affairs go…if you like that sort of thing.

There is a definite 90’s vibe to this (which is unsurprising since their debut was influenced by Britpop and Madchester) but to me, that’s no bad thing. I loved the 90’s so, as long as they body swerve the lunacy that thought Menswear was a good idea, it’s all good.

Now, it is at this point that I can hear some people saying “Hang on Watson, you’ve called other bands out for being allegedly stuck in the past so why not this lot?” Well yes I have, and thank you for bringing that up. But I’ve only ever called other bands out when it feels like all they’ve done is to follow a template, or have simply travelled back in time and tried to fit in. That’s nothing like what DMA’s have done – they’ve taken the vibe of the 90’s but they’ve used it to augment rather than just hang their hat on the fact it has a 90’s sound. I’ll grant you it’s a fine line, and a very subjective one, but I’m more than happy to sit down and discuss it over a pint…you’re buying!

This is a great album and one I would recommend without hesitation. They’re touring the UK in April and May and I hope I’m lucky enough to see them, because I think I’ve answered the question I started this review with – DMA’s are the real deal (but I’m sure their PR company are very good too).