Album Review: Abuela.Madre.Amante by Dan Peters

Dan Peters is the front man of London skate punk band RxR. This week he released a new solo EP named Abuela.Madre.Amante, featuring an original track and two cover songs. 

The opening song on the EP is the original one; a track named Aba. From the very start of the song there is a big feeling of emotion both in the guitar work and in Dan's voice. It's obvious that he really means everything he sings and he is singing straight from the heart. Aba is about Dan's mum and what a strong person she was whilst bringing him up. I really like the lyrics about how she saved him from going down the wrong roads - "Times That Demons Fought And Tried To Capture My Soul, You Became My Light And Brought Me Back To This World."

The next song is a cover of Dan's good friends Demon Smiles song Overcome from their debut EP Burn It To The Ground. The Demon Smiles original is a fast paced skate punk track led by Cat Goodman’s amazing voice. Dan Peters changes things up though, turning the song into a slower-paced acoustic sing-a-long. It is a testament to Cat's songwriting and Dan's skill as a musician that both versions of the song work brilliantly. I really can't decide which is better. Abuela.Madre.Amanteconcludes with a cover of the classic blink-182 song Dammit, taken from 1997's Dude Ranch. I've heard Dammit covered acoustically over the years but none that have put so much emotion into the song. There is no clue of the fast paced delivery that we've grown accustomed to from Mark Hoppus, instead Peters sings the lines with a slower pace and so really manages to grab your attention. Who would have thought an old school blink-182 track could make you feel any sort of emotion!

This is a fantastic little surprise. Aba is as good a piece of songwritingas any that I've heard in a while; it's honest, emotional music that anyone can enjoy. Both covers are excellent and show off Dan's skill as a singer and guitarist, he’s takentwo really good songs and made them sound like his own. Excellent work Dan!

Stream and buy the EP here: https://danpeters.bandcamp.com/album/abuela-madre-amante

Get the latest news of Dan and his full band RxR here: https://www.facebook.com/RedRagFront  

Now listening to Culture War by The Regressives