ALBUM REVIEW: DMA’s – ‘For Now’

7/10

ALBUM REVIEW: DMA's - 'For Now'

When Oasis was cited as a key influence on this trio’s sound; it became yet another issue that would divide the Gallagher brothers. Liam, after seeing them live sung DMA’s praises saying “I like what I see”. “Man, they got some good tunes in there”. Referring to DMA’s as “Liam Fans”, Noel promised to “boo them” “from (the) side of (the) stage”, but promised to definitely “maybe get on” (his) “computer and see if” (he) “can find anything by these fuckin’ DMA’s”.

Who is the DMA’s? DMA’s are an Australian indie band who “have taken influence from very British sounds like Britpop”; despite Australia being over 15,000 km from the UK, DMA’s don’t feel like the outsider’s believing “that style of music resonates everywhere”. Ironically, their biggest musical influence is not Oasis, neither is it any other British band who peaked in the 1990’s, it is Bruce Springsteen. DMA’s, “An abbreviation of the few old names (the band) had: Doesn’t Mean Anything; Drum Machine Anthems; Do More Acid” to name a few returns with their second album, For Now, where their Britpop sound take centre stage.

For Now, produced by The Presets’ Kim Moyes, opens with a track taking the same name, far from sounding like Oasis; the Stone Roses influences and style is undeniable with a splash of The Smiths. Whilst For Now cannot be described as completely original; the DMA’s have been able to create an elation one gets; as if one was listening to this style of music the first time around. The sound genuinely feels it was created for themselves and their generation (the youngest remnants of the Millennials and Generation Z/Centennials).

Dawning follows, which serves up an impressive blend of Friday I’m in Love (The Cure) and Losing Days (Frank Turner). Warsaw and Lazy Love both produce the adolescent bliss of Elephant Stone (Stone Roses), both designed for the dance floor with the power to unite those listening to underground tunes and those accessing new music from mainstream sources. The Stone Roses influences don’t stop here; Time & Money offers a more mellow and pop sounding offering of I Wanna Be Adored. Overall, For Now, is an impressive LP drawn from positive influences with the exceptions of In the Air and Do I Need You Now?, which lean too close to the Pop side, which if released in the 1990’s would have potentially seen DMA’s on the front cover of Smash Hits magazine.

With the exception of the playout track Emily Whyte; Oasis influences are seldom found on For Now; Their predecessors, the Stone Roses sound is significantly more profound. Whilst significant sections borrow heavily from the Roses and the Britpop genre; DMA’s appear to have discovered this sound independently of their predecessors and are using it to try and reach out to their generation and what their generation “relate(s) to”; instead of solely looking for praise from their Britpop elders.

DMA’s also look to more contemporary influences such as The Kooks, Glasvegas, The Enemy and Thirteen Senses. Track five, The End, is positively unique with no Britpop resonance at all; sounding more like fellow Aussies Tame Impala, as well as Caribou and MGMT. As long as the DMA’s avoid the trappings of falling into a retro pop Smash Hits front cover sound and stay loyal to their Indie and Britpop inspirations, as well as their (not fully utilised) ability to create their own unique original sound; they have the potential to reach the next generation (who are increasingly looking towards hip hop and grime artists for their spokespersons) and Deliver Motivating Anthems.

Xsnoize Author
Michael Barron 335 Articles
Michael first began writing whilst studying at university; reviewing the latest releases and live gigs. He has since contributed to the Fortean Times as well as other publications. Michael’s musical tastes vary from Indie to psychedelic, folk and dubstep.

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