Things were shaky at the Citizen Dick headquarters last night.  An all-out email barrage began between James, Brian and I regarding what album was on tap for today, Cinco de Mayo.  We’ve got a lot on file at the moment, but my holy reverence to this holiday requires an album review with at least a tinge of debauchery; had this been 2008, you would have probably seen me fawning over the blistering insanity of Blood on the Wall‘s album, Liferz.  For all of the accolades I shed on that BOTW album last year, I couldn’t help but shake the idea that the sound was missing something crucial.  While I can be verbose, I can also keep it simple; I like post-punk, punk, and noise as long as it’s barreled with a bag of unique tricks and a fully resonant sound.  Double Dagger’s new album, More is a different kind of punk music.  It’s a crafty hybrid of multiple styles, drawing from the well of its obvious punk ancestry and even splattered with sludgy shades of fast-paced Nirvana.  I haven’t taken this out of my rotation since I received it from Thrill Jockey a few weeks ago.  DD is typically built around sloppy arrangement and spit-in-your face delivery and while these modes are still present, you’re in for bone rattling good fortune when you unwrap this to find a whole slew of categorical nods; this is the album that breaks the mold and its entire ethos is addicting and badass.

The trio of bass virtuoso Bruce Willen, vocalist Nolan Strals, and drummer Brian Dubin have been lighting off sound firecrackers for awhile now, but this new effort is a far-reaching improvement from their past releases.  One immediate thing that pops out of this album is a cranky denial of one-dimensional punk ethos.  “Vivre Sans Temps Mort” is a five and half minute angular assault at just the second track, complete with irish folk pipe noodling and soft percussion at its onset before lashing into raging surges and vocal shreds that make listeners reach for a lozenge.  This shifting opus so early in the album’s construction signifies that Double Dagger has aged like fine wine and DIY and disheveled loudness is not the only thing in the gas tank.  More pounds and pummels from start to finish with alarming depth and resonance despite the lack of guitar, and tracks like “No Allies” crank up bottom-heavy distortion and blend it with super loud aggression with enough intelligence to warrant attention. There are flashes of the sludgy bass work of early Nirvana and a grimy but entirely full sounding aura is created through the multiple bass effects.  “We Are the Ones” begins with a careening siren sound from Willen’s bass and the feedback screeches are alarmingly psychedelic.  Easily, six of the ten tracks completely reject the punk standard of three chord simplicity; you’re going to like this a ton.

I must confess, the dudes in the band might not be pleased to read about their stylistic meandering and maturity; this is, in fact, a post-punk record in its finest glory, make no mistakes.  The anthemic punk candy is still all over the album.  In a refreshing reprieve from screams, “The Lie/The Truth” sits at the midway point of the album just begging listeners to launch into a fifty repeat session.  Endearing talk-along vocals and bouncy bass rhythm slide right into the best damn punk chorus I’ve heard in ten years.  Melodic and catchy background vocals mix with Strals’ growling and shouted chorus.  It’s a doozy of a track and well worth the few bucks you’re going to drop.  Likewise, “Helicopter Lullaby” whips some heavy feedback and distortion into a galloping angst-fest that hearkens back to the finest punk ancestry.  This isn’t The Ramones, and it’s not angry enough for Black Flag but its pulling the same strings for me.  All that you need to hear in a loud and raucous album is here and the important boon is the variation mentioned above.  It’s not wholly dissimilar to putting a fancy protector case on a beat up iPod.  The sound is gutteral, intense, and rich but the variations protect its core.  This isn’t a normal album and we’re sneakily ready for it to creep up on the blogosphere.  When was the last time you heard a punk band rip through a four minute instrumental?

The last two tracks emit the entire ethos of the record beautifully as “Half-Life” spreads its six minute blanket over the rest of the album.  Willen’s bass, at times, manages to sound like a tube-amplified Les Paul, a synthesizer, and a drum machine all at once.  The track bounces around between hardcore thrash punk, simple melody and jangly intensity.  “Two-Sided Mirror” closes the album out with some of the most despairing and emotionally exhausting vocals I’ve heard in a long while.  The band leaves nothing left on the table and vocal chords are torn from the throat in a visciously assualting song.  Double Dagger’s energy is eclectic and refreshing and the swagger these two closing tracks possess is noteworthy.

So as Brian, James and I grappled for the best Cinco de Mayo album review, my Double Dagger votes spoke loudly enough to make it happen.  As I sip on some fine Mexican beer this evening, I’ll probably have this album blaring, as I have for the past two weeks.  If you’re an aggressive drinker, try this on for size, as it’ll be just the hat you need to match your drunken persona tonight.  Be the first on your block to snag this album and leave the siestas for the lazy people.

Double Dagger – The Lie/The Truth