Dali Van Gogh - Under Her Spell

Dali Van Gogh

Under Her Spell
self-released; 2019

3.7 out of 5

By Dan Weston
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Dali Van Gogh is a hard rock band out of Halifax, Nova Scotia that recently released Under Her Spell. The songs are really ones that for the most part sound best turned up real loud or live. They have an old school energy to my ears.

The band busts out of the gates with “Get Away” which has a mix of attitude and a sliver of rock opera. I think it was the organ that had me thinking rock opera. Either way the band rocks. They are multiple vocalists on this track trading measures and sometimes combining efforts.

“Down at the Hitching Lane” felt like a single worthy song. It’s the hook. The first time you hear it you feel like you know it. Up next is “Arms Race” which again had me feeling a little like I was experiencing a rock opera. The song is a little dark which is perfectly fine by me.

“Superman & MacGyver” is a great name for a song. I think MacGyver would win in a fight. It’s one of the more straight fun songs on the album. It pops and is a little bit funky with a lot of levity. “Outlaw’s Son” sounds like the title. It’s a slow, mysterious sweeping ballad with Western overtones.

The vocalist sounded a bit like Eddie Vedder on “When I Go” but with more affectation during the verse. They have fun with “East Coast Witches” which mirrors the style to “Foxy Lady” by Jimi Hendrix during the verse.

They kind of jam out in a funky way on “Have It All” while “Long Way from Heaven” is a heartfelt ballad with female vocals. If the band made any mistakes it’s putting a song called “Crooked Little Whore” right after “Long Way from Heaven”which felt like an abrupt transition. The continue to rock with “Boot on Your Neck” and close with “Ships in the Night” which goes back into heartfelt territory.

Dali Van Gogh really covers a lot of ground. There are so many sub-genres they approach and pull off. Take a listen.

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