ty hardaway: EP turned out nice.
Dan Paige: Thanks! I was literally just about to send it to you…
ty: Spotify
Dan: 2020
ty: 5741
Dan: What is this, a conversation in Morse code? Open to more of a critique, if you are so moved.
ty: Don’t know if I have a critique but I can certainly provide a reflection. Let me listen a few more times.
Dan: Oh yes - listen, reflect, enjoy. It's good to be back in touch.
Ty: On it. Let me reflect.------------------------------------------
Keep in mind, I know nothing so any comment I could make is simply a reflection on what I’m hearing. Also, I have nothing bad to say about any song, performance, or engineering nuance. This is a professional release and everyone associated with it is a hero. So, here we go.
The Daily Evening EP (which I invariably call The Evening Standard) is a five-song release by the Bay Area’s five-piece The Daily Evening band. This is Dan’s band with Rich as kind of a combination co-pilot/navigator (if you ever wanted a co-pilot/navigator who basically did neither, overtly, but exerted his deft influence through actions like showing up, engineering and, playing the guitars), and Eric who I met and played with a little bit and know to be a talented musician. Eric definitely leaves his DNA on this release. They also have a rhythm section that I’ve never met but have heard through these and earlier mixes of some of these recordings. But, this is Dan’s band playing Dan’s songs for the most part. That’s not a critique, this is just context.
I know Dan’s music from The Beggars Trail (a really good album and band with RJ Hazelton-Shedd from the late ‘90s), and his solo releases, Out on the Frontier, Hasten Slowly, and Wintertime. I’ve played with Dan in a Dan band (Bruised Orange Live from Next to the Freight & Salvage). So, yeah, these are Dan songs and this is Dan’s band. This is clear. Tweedy is to Wilco as Dan is to Dan Albums.
I have heard most of these songs in earlier mixes, drafts, and live recordings. I feel I know them but I never really invested. The recordings on the EP are legitimately the best versions I’ve heard of any. The engineering is really great. The sound approaches perfection but sometimes feels a little too polished. The level of audio perfection sometimes undercuts the quality of the performance and some parts get disassociated from the performers. Ty Segall records sound good and you can envision the ensemble. You can on The Daily Evening too, but sometimes dubs feel like dubs. But I know nothing.
The mix is great, wide enough and balanced well. The separation adds so much, no muddy middle. The drums, while not a focal point in any of the songs, are clean and serviceable. The bass serves as a steady backbone often working very well with the guitars; sometimes forgettable in isolation (not a diss) but never too far from the persistent heart. The performance, overall, is quite locked. The band sounds good.
Maybe She’ll Fly: Immediately, you know this is a Dan record. But in a bigger, wider version than ever heard before. The sound is great. Like a more professional Crazy Horse. The guitars are quite lovely. The hook is kind of a oldy west haunting/adventurous buddy film. Dan sings like Dan and his phrasing has steadily improved over the years big quarter note triplet on “Sake of the sun” kills. Bass and drums doing their job (on all of the songs). I like the horns, really I do, but they seem to be a little bit extra. But I applaud a little bit extra, but this was unexpected. Nicely faded. Great accidental opener at two and a half minutes; less a statement open and more of a luxurious introduction. Ladies and gentlemen, The Daily Evening.
I don’t know, maybe she will fly. Or maybe she’ll elect to run. I just don’t know. Is this a love song or a break-up song? For the sake of the sun. I’m OK with these words. Puts me into a place like the desert southwest. Hot. Dry. Sunny. I endorse and accept this track.
Desert Rider: Nice intro fade (about perfectly executed on the knobs), makes me feel like I’m in on something that’s already going on, like a conversation. Transitions nicely from Maybe She’ll Fly. Bass drum is a little splatty in the mix and it is distracting me. Vocals and harmonica compliment as well as the vocal duet on chorus. Excellent guitaring. The chorus is really beautiful. The singing is beautiful. The performance is really nice.
See, the desert land. Hot. Dry. Sunny. Is this a lost love or a found love song? More sun rhymes with gun. Second verse feature guitar is so good. Sometimes a friend is just a friend. Nice RW verse. There’s a lot going on here. I endorse and accept this track.
Out on the Frontier: The intro to OOTF reminds me of something from late era Big Star but more simple. This song has a lot of potential but it’s not landing with me. The performance feels a little forced. It’s really in front of the beat like a cocaine pop song yet there is something tentative here, uncommitted. The structure is nice (kinda awkward) but it feels pasted together in post. Tentative yet gratuitous, if that makes sense. Half way through, I want it to be over. The ending seems forced and a little dated in terms of how it is affecting me.
“We packed up all our stuff and headed out in a truck.” I don’t think this song fits in with the rest of the EP. It seems like an intentional “single” on an album; a “title track”. Feels like a different session or album. It’s OK, maybe I just don’t get it. While I accept this track, I will not be endorsing this track at this time.
Down the Road: Right out of the box, this one is markedly better this what it follows. Just a square punch to the jaw. This little piece is structured and executed near perfection. The drumming is really solid here. The bass really settles things down and drives everyone home like a school bus. Good words and story. Everyone is in sales mode. And if I’m hearing some organ in the chorus, I’m loving that. Pedal steel is good. Like Desert Rider, a lot going on. More desert sun (there’s a theme). Will you see me, down the road. Where OOTF felt like it was 37 minutes long, DTR feels short and snappy. Surprises me that it is four and a half minutes long. I endorse and accept this track. This should be the single.------------------------------------------
Here Again: Finally a shift in gears from 4/4 rock n’ roll; a little down tempo and blusey. The bass gets to step forward for a while. Dim the lights. Dan seems to be…emoting a little. I feel this one. Everyone seems to be hearing each other. I think I love this song. I wish there was second half after “take it away.”
I like lyrics. All poetry, nothing revealed, as with all the tracks. I endorse and accept this track.I really like the EP even though this type of Americana rock isn’t really a big thing right now. Maybe this is timely on The Daily Evening’s part. Cash in on a low competition arena. Or, maybe just be happy this turned out so very well. Who knows, I know nothing. This is a Dan record and that’s a good thing. It sounds amazing.
4/5 because OOTF fell flat to my ears in terms of structure, engineering, and performance. Basically the other four songs murdered it and are so amazing that none of the members of this band will understand that until 2027 or so.
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