Out of Prince Edward Island, Canada, comes the undeniable catch of The Danks on their debut release, Samples EP. Brohan Moore and Alec O’Hanley created The Danks in Charlottetown, the capital of the small Canadian province, but the bright sounds feel far warmer than those northern climes. Upbeat, but not twee, The Danks deliver on Samples EP.
The record starts out strong with “Treaty Connector”, whose catchy upswing of rhythm and guitars brings a sunny relax. While the pressing “Someone Should Know” is still cheery, The Danks do venture into darker terrain with “Squealer”; while the vocals aren’t perfect, the fuzzy piece still works well.
However, the pinnacle of Samples is in the middle with “Sold Me Out” and “I Got No Nothing”. The peppy strum and keys of “Sold” are ultra-catchy & toe tapping, while “Nothing” has a relaxed charm that glides under your skin and expands (sort of like a brighter Ambulance LTD – QRO live review). Unfortunately, the following “In the Beginning” (strangely, the second-to-last track), is a little simple in its brightness, but the acoustic restrain of finisher “I Mean, Come On” has an interesting backdrop.
The Danks’ debut full-length won’t come out until the thaw of March 31st, but springtime is really more appropriate for this band. Until then, let the sunny, but not over-cute, ways of Samples warm you.
