New music from Dan Cody inevitably lifts the mood. Nostalgic pop-rock with a twist of Beatles-esque-melodic and lyrical brightness – Around The Dial is a collection of recent singles from the established songwriter, a mildly new direction beginning with the beautifully uplifting Good As Gold.
Loaded with inspiring sentiments and statements that directly address the listener, Good As Gold feels like a timeless anthem of optimism – a song that can shake off even the most unpleasant of days, and which will no doubt come to life beautifully in the live setting.
On the flip side, One Step From Manic delves into a more soft-rock contemplative realm – its title aptly suggestive of the poetic wonder and uncertainty that’s to follow. The sound remains unmistakable, Dan Cody’s voice and instrumental style, even his songwriting, maintaining this likable and distinct fusion of colourful rock and singer-songwriter intimacy.
The structure of the songs is unmistakable, and that accessible vocal helps the power of each hook connect in a genuine way. One Step From Manic appears to deal with a more difficult subject matter, but ultimately promises the same level of comforting embrace and sense of possibility, of overcoming, that much of the Around The Dial project exudes.
We shift gears just subtly again for the welcomed acoustic softness of Wrapped In My Arms. The style feels like Elliott Smith meets The Beatles, with perhaps a delicate twist of Simon and Garfunkel. The versatility is welcomed, Dan Cody a clear master of the solo-acoustic approach and the independent songwriter and guitarist energy overall. There’s also a really enjoyable warmth and heartfelt realism to the songwriting and performances – a further degree of accessible realness that again reinforces the bridge between artist and audience.
To finish, the instrumental gets a little sultry and smooth, for the late-night chilled vibe and solo-bends of Sitting At The Table. Here Dan’s voice is gentler still, breathy but again paired in that unmistakable fashion. The music builds up in a modest way, raising the mood and engaging the listener with this familiar topic but a fresh way of exploring it.
There’s a wonderful soul-rock essence to this track, making it a personal favourite from the Dan Cody collection at large. The stops and starts, the riff that kicks in half way through, the lyrical originality and the details of the scenes – a brilliant song, timeless and beautifully passionate in everything from story to vocal to guitar playing.
Dan Cody writes the songs, delivers them in a way that’s naturally captivating, and does it all with a much needed level of humility and quiet confidence. It’s always a pleasure to let his music play, and I look forward to a live show.
Find Dan Cody on Instagram & Facebook or visit his Website.
