Special thanks to Grandstand Media who provided us early access to DREAMERS new album LAUNCH FLY LAND for an Advance Review! LAUNCH FLY LAND drops on April 26th, be sure to check out our track-by-track review below!
Advance Review - DREAMERS: LAUNCH FLY LAND
"Die Happy" is a bright energetic track, that brings it with it's use of guitar and percussion. The hook is catchy and easy to sing along to. Vocally, Nick Wold is impressive here, at times perfectly nailing a ever so slight falsetto. If you're looking for alt-pop goodness, look no further than right here. Next up is "Dizzy", which has a faster pace initially, but a more subdued tone than it's predecessor. The track feels like a constant build to a hook that has a nice mix of electronic and alt-pop tones. The verses are methodical in their pacing as they build anticipation with the backing music adding to the tension, all this releases on that great chorus. I absolutely loved the use of synth in this track, it brings a different facet to it.
"Celebrate" is another alt-pop banger that crowds are sure to eat up. It comes right out the gate like this beginning with the chorus. The verses are slower and help build toward the chorus, they verses here aren't as strong at this as the one's on "Dizzy" were, but they are still strong nonetheless. The use of electronic instrumentation here is also great, it makes for a cohesive melody. Thematically, this song is all about celebrating life given its short nature. Up next is "Someway, Somehow"which has more of an indie feel to it, particularly because of the pronounced baselines. The song deals with love and the complications it can have, particularly when it comes to the ups and downs of relationships. Lyrically this is one of the strongest on the album thus far, especially the extremely well done chorus.
"Listen Out Loud" features dynamic vocalization and great harmonies. This track is primarily an alt-pop (mostly pop) jam with slowed down beats. The build to the chorus is nice though. It features a nice breakdown section that helps break up the track a bit. "Insomniac" features some great distorted guitars in the chorus that are teased right at the beginning of the track. The verse is quickly paced and builds well to a fantastic chorus. Look it, DREAMERS can write damn good choruses and this one might be the best one on the album so far. Thematically, Wold sings of loneliness and not being heard.
On "Vampire In the Sun", we get a return to the indie feel that was present on "Someway, Somehow". The use of pronounced bass lines and rhythmic hand claps are classic indie rock fare. For a comp on this song, I would have to go with Neon Trees. The chorus is fun and energetic per the usual. This track also features a fun guitar solo that's pretty well done. "Real Life" features heavily distorted guitars and heavy bass lines. In this track Wold almost raps the verse before singing the chorus. There's something that feels throwback about this track, as parts of it remind me of the Beastie Boys.
"Wanna Stay" features some classic electronic drumming, that reminds of 80's pop. The chorus is yet another banger that just begs to be sang along to. As a former bassist I absolutely loved the heavy bass line in this track that repeated throughout. "Take Me Home" is where we end the album. It's a slow paced track that feature some great vocalization from Wold. The metaphors present in this track feel like they are talking about someone chasing someone to love. The narrator is tired from the journey and is ready to go home. The music fits beautifully with that theme.
Closing Thoughts - DREAMERS absolutely crushed this album! The themes of love, loss, isolation, and the journey for it are extremely strong, it's evident Wold put some heart and soul into this album. Not only that, but he and his band mates Nelson and Jason Lee Wick matched that level of commitment from the lyrics with the fantastic music that was here. The ending result is a cohesive, heartfelt, and extremely well done collection of music that feels like a collective more than many albums do. Well done.
Rating - 4.5/5
DREAMERS on Tour
6/1 - New York, NY -Governors Ball
7/2 - Huber Heights, OH - Rose Music Center at The Heights
7/3 - Mt. Pleasant, MI - Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
7/5 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Thatre
7/6 - Tinley Park, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
7/7 - Duluth, MN - Bayfront Festival Park
7/9 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
7/10 - Bonner Springs, KS - Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
7/12 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
7/13 - Burgettstown, PA - KeyBank Pavillion
7/14 - Harford, CT - The XFINITY Theatre
7/18 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center
7/19 - Hershey, PA - Hershey Park Amphitheatre
7/20 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Amphitheater
7/23 - Gilford, NH - Bank of New Hampshire Pavillion
7/24 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
7/26 - Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
7/27 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavillion
7/28 - Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
7/30 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park Amphitheatre
7/31 - Charleston, SC - Volvo Cars Stadium
8/1-4 Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
8/2 - West Palm Beach, FL - Coral Sky Amphitheatre
8/3 - Tampa, FL - MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/4 - Jacksonville, FL - Daily’s Place
8/6 - Houston, TX - Lawn at White Oak
8/7 - Del Valle, TX - Austin360 Amphitheatre
8/8 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavillion
8/10 - Phoenix, AZ - Ak-Chin Pavillion
8/11 - Chula Vista, CA - North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/14 - Avila Beach, CA - Avila Beach Concerts at the Cove
8/16 - Sacramento, CA - Cal Expo - Papa Murphy’s Park
8/17 - Portland, OR - Veterans Memorial Coliseum
8/18 - Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre
8/20 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheatre
8/23 - Reading, UK - Reading Festival
8/24 - Leeds, UK - Reading Festival