Daddy Lion creates memorable pop-rock tunes, from the offbeat time signatures highlighted in the bouncy opener “Divine” to the downtrodden, laid-back sadness that streams through “Falling To Pieces”. The band, whose main man dubbed himself Daddy Lion to escape the lingering presence of an unwanted ex, takes a 90s-era fuzzy indie rock sound and splits it between insatiable pop hooks and bizarre time keys.
There are moments where Daddy Lion masters this sound, like in “Divine” and “Tomorrow”, while other songs remain steadfast in that dingy 90s garage.
A graduate student at George Washington University, Daddy Lion’s frontman is currently working on two masters degrees, one in social policy and another in philosophy. These themes come across in his music, as he moans I can live in a shell / and I can never know no hell / but I can never live in a world like that in “Morning”, and aside from the slightly cheesy rhyme, the song has a powerful sociological and psychological meaning.
Daddy Lion is packed with great emotions, and with them is a band that shows great promise. Outside the common garage throwback sound has emerged something a bit unique.
Download: “Divine” by Daddy Lion
[audio:100315-daddy-lion-divine.mp3|titles=Divine|artists=Daddy Lion]
[Digital EP, 2010]
1. Divine
2. Falling To Pieces
3. Just Die Young
4. Appearance
5. Morning
6. Tomorrow