Labels: Keroleen Records
Review by: MH
Van Dale? Are they named after the Dutch-English dictionaries I used to learn Dutch from? Possibly not but it’s the best I’ve got. They are, however, a trio from Columbus, Ohio with a penchant for 90s grunge and indie rock as well as a fine line in quirky, offbeat lyrics. After the more straightforward opener, this really kicks in with “Bed of Bricks (Isn’t It)” which is an absolute corker with a huge hook. Throughout the tracks they flit between the fuzzier, louder crunch of the guitars and a cleaner more melodic side – some of those more melodic moments recall Weezer in particular. The lighter, lilting “Travis” reminds me of latter-day Pavement and breaks the mould a little as they slow things down. They can certainly be raucous too as shown in both “I Got Money” and “Mary”. The closing track runs “Bed of Bricks (Isn’t It)” close as the pick of the bunch for me. I don’t hear that many bands these days who sound like this so this is a welcome change – very nice.