Conjuring the sounds of the Cretaceous period (sorry, couldn't resist)
Brooklyn newcomers Dinosaur Feathers first came to my attention through
their intriguing four-track EP 'Early Morning Risers'. With the
cyberspace buzz around the New Yorkers building with every electric
live performance around their home city and with every mention on the
wonderfully named music blog 'Pop Tarts Suck Toasted', I thought it
would be a smart bet to get onto the bandwagon early before it starts
careening away.  

On first listen of their debut LP 'Fantasy Memorial' I couldn't help
but make comparisons to bands like Vampire Weekend (the tribal rhythms
and jungle beats are unmistakable) and Animal Collective (think
experimental sounds and alien atmospheres). Lofty company indeed. In
fact, the band's lead songwriter lists the latter group, along with the
Ruby Suns, as some of his main influences.  

Opening track 'I Ni Sogoma' ('good morning' in Malian) transports the
listener immediately to the poverty-ridden landlocked West-African
nation, complete with birds chirping in the background and tribal drums
(courtesy of one helluva drum machine) beating such a steady rhythm
that we can't help agreeing with the refrain "you can't fight the
feelings that live in your heart". I found myself listening to this
track over-and-over again, often in tandem with the aggressively named,
'Teenage Whore'. With a swelling choral refrain of "teenage whore,
where do you get off?" it's hard not to love and sing-a-long with
gusto. Sandwiched in between these two gems is the placid, by
comparison, 'Vendela Vida' which evokes a more laid-back summer vibe
backed by a Spanish sound.  

Personal favourite 'Family Waves' utilises stirring metaphoric imagery
likening family dynamics to the sometimes unstoppable ebbs and tides of
the ocean: "fighting the family waves". Teamed with some fantastic
guitar work and what seems to be an increasingly signature
harmonization, it's the song with the greatest staying power. The
latter half of the album doesn't quite live up to the extremely
ambitious heights set by the opener, but highs around found in the
bluesy 'Holy Moses' which contains the achingly beautiful lament "holy
moses, take a chance on me" and a rare harmony-less track carried
admirably by a sole singer, 'Know Your Own Strength. 'Sleeping In'
shows a darker, almost hypnotic side, to the band and whilst it
initially seems quite incongruous amongst the more upbeat songs, it
swells to an evocative hand-clapping crescendo. The weakest song on the
album, 'Crossing Cannon', seems almost lifeless in comparison to the
luscious mix of sounds Dinosaur Feathers seem to have squeezed into 46
minutes.  

It's the eclecticism that gets me so excited about this band, some
tracks are stronger than others and I think they're still searching for
their sound but no track is without merit. Each offers something new
and shows them pushing their own musical boundaries. Who knows, maybe
like Panda Bear and the gang they'll never allow fans and critics to
pin them down to one "sound". Either way it's going to be one hell of a
ride, so jump on and hold tight.

Review Score: 8/10

'Fantasy Memorial' will be available from the Australian iTunes Music Store from March 2.