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Daniel McClelland - Album Review: Anxious Heart

07 Sep 2017 // A review by butch181
Straight off the bat, we have that gated reverb sound on the drum track; that punchy percussive character that has been synonymous with that of the pop and rock music of the 1980's, and has recently started reintegrating itself into pop music again. In this case, you get that nostalgia hit due to the reminiscence with Kenny Loggin's 1984 hit, Footloose.

80's music in itself has held wide appeal for a variety of reasons; greater emphasis on songwriting, the first proper integration of the electronic element (with synthesizers and sequencers), and movement away from the record companies which allowed greater freedoms with the musical content. All done with a quick cheerful pace.

Daniel McClelland has put forward a debut album that is the epitome of all of these factors that made 80's music successful and put his own spin on it. Anxious Heart is unapologetic in its forthrightness; you won't find a generic, by-the-numbers, formulaic track on the album. McClelland's vocal style comes across like that of Marilyn Manson or the White Stripe's Jack White and is similarly adventurous in singing style; ranging from soothing lullabies to a fast-paced frenzy.

Despite the simple beat and cheerfully fast tempo, throughout many of the tracks, there is a melancholy to them.A purposeful dissonance that can catch you off guard. Be prepared for the unexpected. McClelland combines musical genres and follows no rules. Anything goes, and it works. A delightful reminder of how music should be made.


Review written by Alex Moulton
 

About Daniel McClelland

Daniel McClelland’s goal is singular: make pop music that rocks. To do this, he merges the harmonies of The Beach Boys, with the guitars of Nirvana and the drums of New Jack Swing innovator Teddy Riley. The results speak for themselves. His debut opened at #2 on the NZ Heatseeker Album Charts. Nominated for Best Independent Debut award at NZ’s Taite Music prizes. Muzic.net.nz said his music is "a delightful reminder of how music should be made." Daniel’s new EP Swallow Fear is out now, on all major streaming services worldwide. His music video for lead single Blotted Out The Background is on YouTube




Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Daniel McClelland

Releases

Swallow Fear
Year: 2019
Type: EP
Anxious Heart
Year: 2017
Type: Album

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