Album Details

• Artist: Dad Rocks!
• EP:
Digital Age
• Label: Kanel
• Year of Release: 2011
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2011-03-01

"Digital Age" features six tracks of acoustic based Baroque singer/songwriter tunes that have a quirky, intimate likeability. On this debut EP, Snævar Njáll Albertsson, aka Dad Rocks! has a breezy delivery of his slightly askew ditties, many of which sound like off-kilter, slightly disturbing children's songs.

"Nothing Keeps Up (free)" is essentially a recitation of the life, death and decay of a bird, and of kids eating dead dogs at playgrounds. All that is driven by acoustic guitar and a brief, Beatle-esque piano line. Albertsson shows off the trumpet skills he employs in his day job in the Danish band Mimas is "Dirty Carpet," a dirge-like ode to being a couch potato while life and lover move on.

While not jarring, the final two tunes are clearly different in tone and style that the other four tunes. "Language" and "Senior Home" are gorgeous, hermetic and often poignant tunes about the little nuances we learn and share during a too-short life. They display a lyrical range that clearly does not end with wry surreal wordplay.

Dad Rocks! may just be a one-off in between Mimas gigs for Snævar Njáll Albertsson, but "Digital Age" is a whimsical, darkly childlike record that also offers more mature fare. Albertsson's guitar is simple but sweet, and the occasional addition of other instruments are tasteful as well. Like an Edward Gorey story, the tunes of Dad Rocks! offers creepy but fun, and occasionally aspire to more serious heights.

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