Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

Why Lions? - The One With, Uh, What's It... The Dog on the Cover

6/18/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Why Lions?

The One With, Uh, What's It... The Dog on the Cover
​self-released; 2021

3.6 out of 5

​By J. J. Thayer

The One With, Uh, What’s It… The Dog on the Cover is the debut release from Why Lions? a New Jersey-based rock quartet. John Hull is the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist; Mark Coniticchio handles lead guitar and the occasional keyboard. The bottom end is held down by Martin Czajkowski (bass) and Zack Papianni (drums) with both Papianni and Czajkowski helping with backing vocals.

All ten tracks here are originals. With their instrumentation, you’d expect a guitar-based rock record, and that’s what they’ve delivered. Why Lions? cites Queens of the Stone Age, Green Day and Stevie Ray Vaughn, among others, as influences. These are bits of funk (the 7#9 chords in “Broken Skin”), some early ‘90s Blues Traveller-like grooves (“Can’t Change”/“Little Smile”), and some fast punk too (“Hindsight”/“Heaven Up There”).

There are some strong moments on the album. The ending vocal stacks on “Little Smile” and the a cappella bits of “Hindsight” are solid. Coniticchio snaps off a Joe Perry-esque guitar solo on “Broken Skin.” Be sure to check out the middle section and rapid-fire lyrics on “Since You Asked…”.

The band have been a working live act for a number of years, and they try to capture that live-gig energy. Some of that works, and some of that doesn’t fully translate to the studio setting. On “Little Smile,” for instance, the band has written a nice bridge, shifting to heavier ‘70s riff-rock. While it’s challenging to switch guitars live, in the studio it’s an opportunity to punch in a different guitar tone and make the song sparkle, instead of keeping the same axe and amp settings. 

In addition, the album mixing doesn’t always support the band’s performance. It almost feels like a soundboard recording of a live gig. There’s not a lot of variation in the levels; while we can hear everything, the dynamics suffer. For instance, on the “Don’t Talk To Me” instrumental breaks, the guitars should come up front-and-center, and then move to the background once the vocals come back in. While “set and forget” sliders can work in a small club with musicians handling their own levels onstage, in a studio setting the mixer needs to perform, too. This is all part of the growth process as a band transitions between live act and recording artist; I’m confident the band (and their studio partners) will bolster this area in future releases.

The One With, Uh, What’s It… The Dog on the Cover is a good foundation for Why Lions? The album showcases a live band learning about the studio. I look forward to following their development as recording artists, and watching them adapt their songs and performances to fit this medium.
bandcamp
official website
Tweet
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band

© Divide and Conquer 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact