Gig Review: Days N Daze at New Cross Inn, London 10/5/22 (by Emma Prew)

‘Folk’ punk is to me what ‘ska’ punk is to Colin – which, if you’ve read this blog before, you’ll know is a big deal. It was my entry into the expansive genre of punk rock as a whole and I still love the folkier side of punk music now. That being said, I’d never seen Houston, Texas, folk punk legends Days N Daze before and so, especially given how much I loved their 2020 album, Show Me The Blueprints, I was very excited when the opportunity arose to see them live – and at our favourite venue, as well!

It was a bit touch and go about whether we were actually going to be able to go to either of the two Days N Daze shows at the New Cross Inn, after the first night sold out before we got around to purchasing tickets and the second night followed suit soon after. Thankfully, due to Colin being more organised than me, we managed to get a couple of tickets for the original date via the Dice waiting list within a week or so of the event. A Tuesday night gig is not usually my favourite but I was excited for this one and, boy, it did not disappoint!

Opening the show and fresh off of the previous couple of Days N Daze gigs were Bristol’s favourite scrappy acoustic ska-folk punk band, Boom Boom Racoon. I’ve always really enjoyed seeing this trio live as their songs are a lot of fun and they always connect with the crowd so well – everyone feels part of the Boom Boom Racoon family. However, I must say that since the pandemic they really seem to have upped their game. We had a the pleasure of seeing them perform at Fishstock earlier this year and thought it was the best we’ve ever seen them. Well, at NXI on a Tuesday they managed to excel again. Classic tunes such as NHS (National Health Simpsons) and their cover of Boom Boom Boom go down a treat as always but it’s their newer songs like Fuck You Ashley that really shine. It was nice to see so many folks down early for the opening band and the Racoons certainly did a great job of getting everyone smiling and bopping away.

Next up was a band that I didn’t know much about but Colin had recently caught at MPF – The Infested. I know they had some guitar-based technical difficulties at the festival so he was looking forward to hearing how they’re supposed to sound. As it turns out, they sound very good! I don’t know why but I definitely thought that The Infested were more of a ska band – a ska band without horns, but still a ska band. There were hints of ska in there but it turned out they actually played more of a straight-up raw and heavier punk rock style. Obviously I don’t dislike ska, but it was a pleasant surprise to have imagined one thing and end up with something a little different. Not being familiar with the band, I can’t tell you what songs they played but it was all great. The Infested are sadly calling it a day soon (their last show was supposed to be a few days after this one but sadly the dreaded covid hit), which is a shame as they put on a great performance and I’d certainly go see them again.

And just like that it was time for the main event. Spirits – both the alcoholic and mood kind – were high and I for one was eagerly waiting for the band to finish sound-checking and commence with the show proper. As soon as Days N Daze burst into their set (with Fuck It!, I think… maybe), you could see just how happy they were to be there and that happiness carried into the crowd with people dancing, singing and, in the case of a select few, crowdsurfing almost immediately. Whitney wasted no time in voicing those feelings, stating how long they’d been waiting to be able to tour again and just how over the moon they were to finally be back in the UK, and London in particular, as well. It never goes unappreciated seeing how stoked a band are to be playing shows, particularly one from over seas – it definitely makes for a friendly and more down-to-earth, community vibe. Some might describe Days N Daze as scrappy or raw-sounding but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t a hugely talented bunch of musicians and songwriters. I actually felt a bit ashamed that I hadn’t really brushed up on my lyrical knowledge before the show as everyone around me was singing their hearts out to every single word and I only managed the choruses of most. It did not hamper my enjoyment however – honestly, it was just super lovely to see everyone else connecting with the band so much. Whether it was older tracks such as Post Party Depression, Misanthropic Drunken Loser – complete with fun covers of Creep and Linoleum sandwiched into the middle – or songs from Show Me The Blueprints – Saboteurs being a particular highlight for me, it all went down a storm. The absolute highlight however had to be the final song, Self-Destructive Anthem. Now, if you’ve seen Days N Daze live before – or have watched them on YouTube – then you would have known what was going to happen with this last song but, alas, I did not know. For those unaware, the song has a bridge – ‘Why do I do this? Why?! Why do I do this to myself?’ – that is repeated many times throughout and when played live, various friends of the band and/or audience members make their way to the stage, or just in front of it, to sing that line with the band. DIY punk rock shows always have such a wonderful community feel and I can’t think of a more perfect way to represent this than with how Days N Daze ended their set. 

We left the New Cross Inn with big smiles on our faces and I didn’t even care about the late night / work early in the morning combo – this is one of those special gigs that was without a doubt worth it. Wholesome is probably not what comes to mind when you picture a ‘crust’ punk band but that is the vibe I got from my first DND show – and I loved it.

ps. Paul, please get them back soon.

This review was written by Emma Prew. Photos also by Emma.

Dan#2's Top Ten Albums of 2020

This year has been a bit of a slug fest for myself with lockdown taking a huge impact on concentration levels and motivation, which might explain my lack for creative output in terms of these reviews for CPRW but I couldn't leave 2020 without giving credit to a few of my favourite releases from this year. These records, at times, have provided inspiration to get up off my ass or the emotional support that I needed to keep myself together… So on that positive introduction let’s get into it!

10. Attention Economy by Launch Control

This was the best political punk rock release this year for me hands down. Launch Control continue to paint a perfect picture of our political discourse. The whole EP strikes a haunting tone, talking about the consumerist society which we have become who are quick to pick up narratives or a product without questioning why we’re being sold, who suffers as a result and the long term conditions it creates. It is suggested these things are not done by accident but by corporations and frankly evil political figures for their benefits. In each of the songs we go into detail into some of those created conditions or into ways we have been monetized. These themes crafted carefully with hand stitched detail is exactly why I love Lee's lyrics. The production also creates a fresh feeling punk rock record that almost feels like an electric dream which fits the haunting atmosphere. Each song is a tightly packed package with riffs and drum fills galore that never overstay their welcome. The most interesting song for me is "Marketing For Martyrs" which is the first longer song from the band and really demands attention with some of the best lyrics from this year. The only reason this EP is not higher on the list is I might be super bias towards them as they are my friends but more importantly their refusal to release a full length always feels to me like they hold back showing their full potential.

9. This Land Is Your Landfill by The Homeless Gospel Choir

In February I managed to see Derek Homeless Gospel Choir playing a tiny club in London after seeing him with Anti-Flag the previous night. I was blown away by the pure honesty in his set, it made everything special and on this night he played a few of the best songs I had ever heard. Those songs then ended up on this record. It's political, personal and the most honest thing you will hear this year. "Don't Compare" is the best reminder to be yourself and to stop measuring yourself against social media and "Young And In Love" might be the song that every young person needs to hear. I can't wait to support them coming over to the UK as a full band because this record really felt like a ray of happiness this year.

8. Dream Nails by Dream Nails

For the past 2 years every time dipped my toe into listening to a Dream Nails song, I thought ‘I need to really get my teeth into this band’ but never progressed further than a quick listen! But this year I'm glad to report I took the plunge and bought their self-titled record! I'm super stoked and shocked about how blown away I was by it! As a band they have defined an unique sound which is hard hitting without being overpowering with an abundance of amazing hooks, fun subject matters and hard hitting truth that you won't be able to stop listening to. "Text Me Back" and "Corporate Realness" being my personal favorites, I honestly can't wait to see these guys live and I will be looking to book them for show in Reading the first chance I get!

7. Dancing With The Curse by Get Dead

When "Pepperspray" dropped with its video I thought it was the perfect song released at the perfect time with everything happening in America but it also kept us in the dark to what this Get Dead record was going to sound like! So when it turned out to be a punk rock record with lighting fast rap vocals in a few songs I was sold. This might be some of the most interesting songwriting of this year, that you can really get your teeth into and keeps you guessing with lighter acoustic songs like "Glitch", slow swanky punk songs like "Disruption" or full rapid pace punk in "Fire Sale". With all of them sounding tight, this gives the band a really wide but solid sound that sets them apart from the other Fat Wreck bands.

6. The Ride by Bad Cop/Bad Cop

The three-part harmony machine that is Bad Cop/Bad Cop hit the ground running with their third LP The Ride which strikes a perfect balance between the sounds of the last two albums by being a punk rock as all hell while still retaining their unique style. It contains the best harmonies across the board this year, with some themes not normally covered in the genre. For example, songs like "Breast Less" talk about Stacy fighting breast cancer and maybe losing part of her identity after having to have part of her chest removed. While songs like "Pursuit Of Liberty" discuss the disgusting way refugees are treated now vs how they were treated in the past. Getting to see some of these songs live was the icing on the cake in February and just made me more hyped for when we finally got them. This record solidifies BC/BC as one of the biggest bands for me in punk rock.

5. Brave Faces Everyone by Spanish Love Songs

Do I really need to talk about why this is going to be on almost every pop punk fan’s top 10? This perfect follow up from Spanish Love Songs is a hard hitting real deep dive into mental and social issues that leave you feeling full despair with a little bit of hope. The stand out song for me being "Optimism (As a Radical Life Choice)" which talks about catastrophizing over everything going wrong in the world and it preventing you from functioning as a normal human being – just describing that gives me shivers. Super stoked that they lived up to the hype when I saw them live. This record is every bit as perfect as everyone is making out it out to be!

4. Death In Venice Beach by The Bombpops

This one kicks so much ass. It has been the soundtrack every time I put my foot down in my little Clio but it might as well be a super car with The Bombpops blasting through the speakers. Every track is a simple hard hitting punk rock song that is catchy, upbeat and rad as they come! My personal favorites have been "Blood Pact" and "13 Stories Down", the latter being one of the best songs this year – about addiction with a pop hook. I think this record deserves a lot more attention than it got and I can't wait to hear these songs live.

3. Placement by Watsky 

Another year, another Watsky record breaking up my all punk list by being the only rap album on it! When he announced that Complaint was one of three connected records I got immediately excited by the idea of this project. Placement delivers a fantastic follow up to its predecessor, adding further context to it and adding speculation to what's coming next to fill in the gaps. I think "Dreams And Boxes" might be the best core of a record that I have heard with its seamless sticking two songs together with a spoken work piece in the middle resulting in 8 minutes of pure perfection. The emotional cuts dealt by the lyrics have only grown on me as the year progressed, songs like "Savage" and "Black Hole Eyes" really connect with me now on a personal level that I can see bleeding into all my playlist from years to come. Those strong feeling are only toppled by the next two bands on this list.

2. Triceratops / Stegosaurus by Me Rex

When I grow up I want to be Me Rex. Their songs are perfect dissections of emotional issues and events that manage to touch my soul. Normally emotional slow indie pop punk isn't my thing but every single thing they write is nothing less than perfect, bringing me to tears of joy. I have bundled both of these EPs together as they are both equally deserving of attention, one being their first release as a full band with none of their energy or emotion being lost in the bigger sound. They are going to be one of the UK's best bands in the near future and I'm sad I didn't get to see them at MPF this year but I'm going to see them at the first opportunity, even if I have to drive a few hours for it. They are worth it, go and listen to them.

1. Show Me The Blueprints. by Days N Daze

I had only ever heard good things about Days N Daze but it took their record to be released on Fat Wreck for me to pick it up and, honest to god, it is perfect! Infectiously catchy, lighting fast, amazing lyrics, the whole thing fits around its theme and sounds like a complete package. Its song form depiction and framing of addiction, anxiety and depression is some of the best music I have heard. "Show Me The Blueprints." is so well written with its tempo changes and heavy sections. Most importantly this record feels real and authentic, I couldn't help but connect with it. So peace out, farewell to Days N Daze, thanks for the record, I'll catch ya down the line!

This top ten was written by Dan #2.

Emma’s Top Ten Albums of 2020

2020 has been overwhelming rubbish, hasn’t it? It’s been a weird ol’ year for new music although there hasn’t exactly been a lack of it. I started the year – pre-COVID but also through the beginning of lockdown and working from home (when I could listen to whatever I wanted as I worked) – being excited to discover new artists. According to my ‘Spotify Wrapped’ this year, I discovered over 600 new artists which is pretty good going, especially without going to gigs. Of course, I was also looking forward to hearing new albums from many of my existing favourite artists this year.

Unfortunately, it got to a point over the summer and beyond where I just wasn’t that enthused about listening to music in general – new or otherwise. (I listened to a lot of podcasts instead.) I also went through a period of not really feeling inspired to write reviews, even if I was enjoying an album, so I hope to rectify that somewhat with my end of year list (and honourable mentions). It’s worth pointing out that I still have albums that came out this year on my metaphorical ‘need to listen to properly list’ but I guess there’s always going to be more albums to listen to in a year and I will check them out when I can.

I’m afraid I haven’t been organised enough this year to put together a top ten EPs list as I have done in previous years. I do, however, want to give a little shout out to some of my favourites:

Ghosts, Guilt & Grandparents by Toodles & The Hectic Pity
Lobotany by Cheerbleederz
Whichever, Whatever by Expert Timing
The Bin Collection by Mitch, Please
Proper Confessions by Brightview

There are also some great albums that didn’t quite make my top ten but are certainly worth a mention here:

5 Years Behind by THICK
Cause A Stir by Charmpit
Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
Jump Rope Gazers by The Beths
Dream Nails by Dream Nails

Now onto the really good stuff… without further ado, here are my top ten albums of 2020:

10. The Spaces In Between by Arterials

Perhaps it’s due to my increasing frustration at the state of the world, from people’s selfish panic buying to littering of single-use face masks and my overwhelming climate anxiety, but I’ve really enjoyed listening to somewhat heavier and angrier music this year than I previously would have. It’s a real good stress reliever. The Spaces In Between by Hamburg, Germany’s Arterials is certainly on the more singalong fists-in-the-air side of melodic hardcore but, whatever you want to label it, it sure packs a punch. With subject matter ranging from friendship, politics and climate change, there’s a lot of food for thought on The Space In Between and I think, particularly in 2020, having songs that really make you think and feel something are important now more than ever. I’m also gutted to have not been able to hear these songs played live at Booze Cruise Festival in the summer, maybe next year…

Favourite song: Pump The Brakes

9. Me, Myself And Something Else by Call Me Malcolm

Despite the ongoing pandemic, this year has been a big one for Kent DIY ska punks Call Me Malcolm. They returned with their third album, Me, Myself And Something Else in May – the follow-up to 2018’s CPRW favourite I Was Broken When You Got Here. It was self-released here in UK but was also released in the US through the amazing Wiretap Records. Understandably, they’ve been getting increasingly popular across the pond and I’m sure they’d have a tour booked and announced for 2021 (perhaps with Kill Lincoln) had this year gone a little differently. As for the album itself, it picks off where Broken left off with deep, hard-hitting lyrics tackling anxiety and depression that are accompanied by some of the catchiest horn lines and riffs in ska punk. I want nothing more than to dance like crazy and sing along to these new songs at our beloved New Cross Inn as Malcolm are a band best served live. Like many things, I’ll just have to wait and settle for bopping around my living room.

Favourite song: Also, Spiders

8. Untenable by Bad Moves

Bad Moves, from Washington, D.C., were a new discovery for me this year. I was intrigued to check out Untenable, which was released on Don Giovanni Records in June, when I saw several people raving about it on Twitter. The folks at Specialist Subject Records also talked about it on their podcast, Flick Through, and Erica’s love for the band was more than enough encouragement for me to give the album a listen. Untenable is twelve infectiously catchy, upbeat and feel-good – for the most part – tunes that I guess could be best described as indie punk or power pop. The vocals come from all four members of the band throughout the album and bring so much energy and enthusiasm to the table. It truly feels like a bunch of best friends just having the most fun making music together and all while managing to deliver a slick and intricate piece of musicianship.

Favourite song: Working For Free

7. The Distance Between by Arms & Hearts

This is probably the album that was most fresh in my mind when it came to deciding on this list. Arms & Hearts has been a firm favourite of mine for a number of years and their debut album was at least one thing I was looking forward to in 2020. Released in November, I knew that The Distance Between by the Manchester-based acoustic punk troubadour was certain to make an appearance here from the first time I listened to it – it was just that good. It is clearly a leap forward from their previous releases – which were by no means bad – and for a band that was essentially a solo project, the album has very full sound. At times, it feels like a melodic punk band rather than one man and an acoustic guitar. The Distance Between has some pretty dark and emotional subject matter but it’s a hugely cathartic listening experience from start to finish.

Favourite song: Kerouac On A Minimum Wage

6. Get Your Retaliation In First by 3dBs Down

What a surprise gem of an album this was! Colin and I know 3dBs Down as being Paul BeSharp’s favourite band of all time and we’ve had the pleasure of seeing them live a few times in recent years, despite not knowing them ‘back in the day’. Get Your Retaliation In First is the band’s first new music for 15 years (!) and I don’t doubt for a second that it was well worth the wait for long-time fans. I first heard this album when Colin was listening to an advanced copy in preparation for writing his review of it and I remember turning to him after just a couple of tracks and saying ‘This is really good’. It’s so distinctly unlike anything else that I’m not even sure how I would describe this album. There’s a bit of ska in there but this is not really a ska punk album, there are some super catchy melodies, singalong moments and incredibly earwormy harmonies threaded throughout but it’s not quite pop punk. I suppose it’s just a brilliant album and needs no further defining.

Favourite song: Idiot Ignorant Evil

5. Seamless by Pardon Us

Congratulations to Pardon Us for being the first band to appear on my end of year albums list for two years running! 2019’s Wait, which was also the band’s debut full-length, was a really great album and I think they may have surpassed it with the follow-up, Seamless, which was released in August this year on the always excellent Everything Sucks Music. The Liverpudlian three-piece play blisteringly fast paced pop punk music – there are twelve songs on Seamless and all of them are under three minutes long – with a strong political and humanitarian message. To paraphrase from my full review of the album, Seamless is a top notch album packed with catchy melodies and intelligent, thoughtful lyrical content that is hugely relevant to the world we live in. Basically, it has something for everyone.

Favourite song: Still Needs Singing

4. Show Me The Blueprints. by Days N Daze

I’ve always been a fan of punk music of the folk variety and one of my very favourite ‘folk punk’ albums of 2020 comes from Houston, Texas’ long-running band Days N Daze. Show Me The Blueprints. was released in May and it is the band’s eighth full-length as well as their debut release with the legendary Fat Wreck Chords. I’m not sure if it’s the label’s influence specifically but I would say that this album is perhaps more accessible to punk fans that are not necessarily likely to listen to a band with instruments such as a banjo in their ensemble. It’s still got the raw heart and soul of their previous material but is perhaps a little more well-crafted. Both Jesse Sendejas and Whitney Flynn’s vocals are brilliant throughout – often providing backing harmonies for one another – as they each sing of their own experiences dealing with addiction and their struggles with mental health. Of course, the melodies and instrumentation throughout the album are excellent but it’s the lyrics that really pulled me into this album and earned it this spot high up in my list.

Favourite song: Saboteurs

3. You Or Someone You Know by Worriers

When You Or Someone You Know by Worriers was released at the beginning of March, I didn’t know that my two (or was it three?) opportunities to see them live for the first time would soon be washed away when 2020’s hopes and dreams went down the drain. I also didn’t know that this album would come to be about so much more than just, ahem, the end of the world – or at least the climate changing, political meltdown end of the world as opposed to the global health crisis end of the world that 2020 has become. This is not a heavy, or even the most typically punk sounding, album but it has such a huge sound with hooky guitar melodies, dreamy keys and just the most incredible vocals and lyrics. Lauren Denitzio has one of my favourite voices in punk rock and their delivery is always so powerful regardless of the volume in which they are projecting. The album is on the one hand melancholic and on the other optimistic, either way it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to listen to again and again.

Favourite song: What Comes Next?

2. Brave Faces Everyone by Spanish Love Songs

It would be a pretty fair observation to describe my adoration of emotional punk rockers Spanish Love Songs over the past few years as something close to an obsession. I was obviously excited for Brave Faces Everyone, which was released way back in February, although I was also fairly apprehensive. It couldn’t possibly live up to 2018’s Schmaltz. Could it? Well, now having listening to it an awful lot this year, I can honestly say that I think this is even better than Schmaltz. Similar to You Or Someone You Know by Worriers, this is an album that has taken on a new meaning as this year progressed – ‘“It won’t be this bleak forever.” Yeah right. “It won’t be this bleak forever.” I hope you’re right.’ Brave Faces Everyone has undoubtedly made the seemingly never ending dystopia of 2020 that bit more bearable. It’s heart-wrenchingly emotive from start to finish, not least because it’s relatable for any twenty or thirty something with a conscience, but also makes you want to throw your fist in the air and scream your lungs out. It’s an album to be listened to front to back and then all over again. And if that doesn’t make for a great album then I don’t know what does.

Favourite song: Optimism (As A Radical Life Choice)

1. Life, Death And Everything In Between by Stöj Snak

No surprises here! If you happened to read my essay of a review of Life, Death And Everything In Between by Danish folk punks Stöj Snak just a few months ago then I’m sure you saw this coming, such was my outpouring of passion for these twelve songs. Earlier this year I thought it was going to be tough for anything to top Spanish Love Songs but then Stöj Snak returned in October. Life, Death And Everything In Between is the band’s second full-length album that I’ve been waiting four long years for – to be honest, I wasn’t really sure it would actually be released this year. From the acapella opening track Reasons To Smile, through to raucous yet melodic fast-paced numbers such as Trees, This Condition and and Fire and not one, not two, but three tracks of epic proportions – Bliss Point, Songs About Beliefs and album closer and title track, Life, Death And Everything In Between – this album delivers on so many levels. Niels Højgaard Sørensen’s lyricism is so captivating that I find listening to his songs as enticing as a really, really good book. There are so many intricate touches interwoven throughout this album, it’s clear that the process of writing and recording it was not at all rushed. Everything has been considered and, I said it in my original review and I’ll say it again here, I consider this album to be a masterpiece. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Please, if you haven’t already, go away and listen to Life, Death And Everything In Between. If you have listened to it before, just listen to it again!

Favourite song: Songs About Beliefs

Thank you to all the bands mentioned above for making this year a hell of a lot more enjoyable. 2021 should hopefully be better than 2020 in many ways but it’s still going to be tough to beat some of the very best albums that this year has brought us.

This top ten was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Show Me The Blueprints. by Days N Daze (by Emma Prew)

Days N Daze are a band that I ought to have listened to a hell of a lot more than I have. As arguably one of the most prolific bands of the ‘folk punk’ sub-genre for over a decade, I’m ashamed to say that I am not that familiar with most of their back catalogue. I know, and I call myself a folk punk fan! Sure, I’ve heard them on various playlists over the years and I did actually review their last album, Crustfall, in 2017 which I liked at the time but I’ve certainly not given them as much air time as they perhaps deserve.

This was until their eighth album and their debut with Fat Wreck Chords, Show Me The Blueprints., was released last month. I wouldn’t say the fact that the album is on Fat Wreck piqued my interest as such, but I guess it has made the band more likely to appear on my radar. I actually checked out the new album after hearing its opening track, Flurry Rush, on TNSRecords’ NEW PUNK FRIDAY Spotify playlist a few weeks ago – that playlist is well worth checking out. The album has been on constant rotation since then and has fast become one of my favourite albums of 2020.

The album opens with the aforementioned Flurry Rush. The song begins with a simple and relatively mid-tempo acoustic guitar part before the pace soon picks up with the introduction of banjo and trumpet which instantly feels quintessentially Days N Daze. When the vocals come in they are fast paced and, at least on first listen, it’s a little tricky to take in all of what vocalist Jesse Sendejas is singing. Of course, I didn’t listen just once and it’s well worth taking the time to take notice of the lyrics. Flurry Rush is about suffering from anxiety and in particular how you can often feel like you have no reason to be feeling a certain way because you ‘have it better than most’. I’m sure a lot of people will be able to relate to and find comfort in lyrics like ‘But shit I can’t complain, Compared to many folks I got it great, So, why's it always seem, That everything was better yesterday.’ The second song, Ditches, is a little slower in pace than the album’s opening track. This song sees fellow vocalist Whitney Flynn take over from Jesse on lead vocals as she sings a pretty contemplative and emotional song. At first it seems to be quite a sad song – ‘I’m so desperate for a home, But I can’t stop myself from running, I get wasted and I’ll hide away.’ – but there’s also a sense of hopefulness to be taken from the song. The lines ‘Just dry your tears, ’Cause there more to life, Proving that you’re worth a damn, When you’ve always been good enough.’ are powerful stuff indeed.

LibrYUM is up next and wastes no time in getting going. A fast-paced and catchy thrashgrass song if ever there was one, Days N Daze managed to pack so much into this one song that I’m not sure I can do it justice with my inadequate words. In short, Librium is about quitting drugs but it’s also about feeling like you need to replace one drug with another, finding being sober over stimulating and, you know, all-round feelings of existential dread. The chorus which is literally just ‘La la la la la la la la la la, Whoa-oh’ is insanely catchy while the vocals throughout the verses are franticly compelling, at times verging on screams. LibrYUM is a triumph of song and so is the next song – Saboteurs. Opening with a jangly combination of banjo and mandolin, alongside some harmonica, Saboteurs is, at first, strikingly different to the previous song. It’s slower, that’s for sure, but it also feels calmer. What’s similar about the two songs, however, is their brutally honest lyrical content. In Saboteurs, Jesse sings of struggles with mental health. There’s a great sense of storytelling that really draws you into the song as Jesse first talks of holidaying to a beautiful scenic location but not feeling able to leave the car, before recounting other similar life experiences. It can’t be easy to talk about such feelings, never mind put them down in a song, but I for one am grateful that Jesse has. ‘Everything was fine and dandy, But now everything is fucked, And there ain’t no rhyme or reason for my seething, I just wanna be okay but I feel stuck.’

If you like your folk punk catchy then look no further than the fifth song of Show Me The Blueprints., My Darling Dopamine. I mean this in both a musical sense – rhythmic mandolin strumming and melodious trumpet playing – and lyrics-wise. Jesse and Whitney manage to make a somewhat dark topic, poor mental health, feel like a fun time. I imagine that’s not quite the intention here but it does make for a memorable song. I particularly enjoy how Jesse and Whitney sing in harmony in the chorus, really drilling the words home – ‘Oh, my darling dopamine, Does the reward outweigh the risk? Well I'm on the fence, Is a numbing normalcy on tap, Worth a week trembling and sick? And every time I tell myself's the last, ’Cause goddamn the price is high, To rot in comfort this gruelling routine, I’ve succumb to has grown so fucking old, I just want out.’. Days N Daze slow things down once more for Rewind, the shortest song on the album. Opening with the question ‘Am I insane?’ immediately sets the tone as Whitney tries to express what’s going on in her head. Rewind is about trying to slow down and make amends to things that you’ve done in the past in an attempt to start anew – ‘And sometimes you gotta find, A little rewind, rewind in your mind, Even if it’s a lie.’

Opening with that distinct Days N Daze blend of string instruments and trumpet, Addvice will get your head nodding in no time at all. It almost feels like the vocals are sung at a faster pace than the instruments are played at which keeps you paying attention throughout. The songs sees Jesse and Whitney taking it in turns to sing verses and coming together for the chorus. This gives a sense that they share similar feelings when it comes to dealing with the mental illness that is prevalent throughout Show Me The Blueprints. and not least on this track. Addvice is about self medicating, whether that be with drugs or alcohol, to help numb the pain that comes with suffering from depression. Jesse and Whitney admit that this is a problem and they try to tell themselves that they’ll try to be better but, of course, that is easier said than done. None Exempt begins with a mournful trumpet part and some almost mariachi or polka style strumming. It instantly sounds unlike anything we’ve heard on the album so far, which perhaps makes sense given that this song tackles slightly a different subject matter. Here Days N Daze take on more of a political stance with their lyrics, which could be deemed more typical of the folk punk genre than the mental health topic they’ve covered thus far. That’s not to say that this sounds especially like anything else – Days N Daze certainly seem to have a knack for sounding unique. None Exempt takes aim at the wealthy and privileged few who are in control. Understandably, Jesse and Whitney get quite angry throughout the song, particularly when they sing/scream ‘We've got rapists and thieves, In control of our country, When you know all the things, That they've done and they've said, How the fuck are you not chanting, Off with their heads.’.

As we draw towards the end of Show Me The Blueprints., we get to possibly the saddest song on the album. Fast Track is a slower song with some wonderful soft melodies throughout its duration that accompany, but do not detract from, Whitney’s heart-wrenching tale. I hope I’m not interpreting the song incorrectly but Fast Track seems to be about a lost loved one and the hurt and confusion that that can leave you with. I cannot relate and so feel unqualified to comment further but a highlight of the song for me was the line ‘The music inside your head, Played softer when I was there.’ in the second verse and then, towards the end of the song, ‘The music inside my head, Plays louder without you here.’ Beautiful. The album’s title track, Show Me The Blueprints., is the penultimate song. Despite beginning quietly, you can tell that the song is about to burst to life. The first verse is a hoarse snarl from Jesse which feels as frantic as the lyrics suggest. When Whitney sings the second verse, after a short musical interlude, its pleasantly contrasting but no less energetic and is a pattern that continues throughout the duration of the track. The song is about what goes on in the mind of someone suffering from anxiety and depression and so the erratic nature of the song feels like the perfect representation of this.

What better way to finish an album that’s been as excellent as this one than with an optimistic farewell. Goodbye Lulu Pt.2, a nod to Goodbye Lulu from 2013’s Rogue Taxidermy, feels very much an album closer. First with the lines ‘Well it's been fun for a spell, And I wish y'all well, I’d hate to overstay my welcome, So, it's time I go, And even though now I must split, Please never forget, You were the ones that made this planet, Feel like home.’ before progressing to a chorus that is as wholesomely feel-good as it is infectiously catchy. Maybe it’s the mention of ‘We'll get hammered, To the gimme gimmes auld lang syne.’ but it just feels like the kind of song you’d be singing merrily in a bar, with your arm around the person next to you – whether they’re a new friend or old. It just makes you feel like everything is going to be okay – and, right now especially, I think we all need that… But wait, it doesn’t end there. I’ll try not to give too much away if you haven’t listened to Show Me The Blueprints. yet but there’s a bonus ‘hidden track’ at the end of Goodbye Lulu Pt.2 that is well worth a listen.

Perhaps some long-time Days N Daze fans would suggest that Show Me The Blueprints. is not as raw sounding as some of their previous material. Whether that’s due to their new Fat Wreck association or not I don’t know, but what I do know is that they have produced an album with enough heart and soul to rival anything they’ve put out in the past.

Days N Daze were due to be in Europe at the end of May, including playing the Punk In Drublic stage at Slam Dunk Festival, but for obvious reasons all dates have been postponed. Alas, I cannot recommend that you go and see them live anytime soon but I can recommend that you do them, and yourself, a favour and give Show Me The Blueprints. a listen. I certainly can’t get enough myself.

Stream and download Show Me The Blueprints. on Bandcamp and like Days N Daze on Facebook.

This review was written by Emma Prew.