DARA
2012 – Asco Records
3.5***
This is Dara Amjadi's debut album and clocks in at a very short, less than twenty seven minutes and encompasses nine songs. Having said that, if it had been double the length it may well have brought on bouts of depression, such are it’s powerful generally very dark themes! And yet despite that, it is an extraordinarily accomplished piece of songwriting, singing and includes some exceptional guitar playing that combined makes it an incredibly rewarding listen! All of the guitar playing as well as the vocals are by Dara and the album was recorded at Milk Studios, London by Tom Aitkenhead. Fairly obviously he allowed Dara full rein to pursue his muse and despite it’s brevity and very dark themes, benefits immensely from the sparse instrumentation and moodilly
intense atmosphere. It is this intensity that strikes the listener first, with Dara’s vocals at times straining in an effort to get every last drop of feeling out of each song. His vocals are strong, full of character and lacking in any real softness but are able to bring an air of believability to all of these
powerful songs. Add this to his gifted guitar playing and you have an album that doesn’t need any additional adornments to enable it to make an impact.
He has a tremendously descriptive uncompromising style of writing on some really dark songs that contain very little in the way of optimism but plenty of realism and atmosphere, with a consistent intensity that must have been difficult at times to maintain. I know very little about Dara but if these are at all biographical songs he is very fortunate to still be around to actually write them! Stylistically, there is a soulfulness to most of the songs and they also encompass a bluesy alt. country feel! Whilst most are dark and brooding there are little snippets that suggest a modicum of optimism but that optimism is far from being this unusual albums main theme.
The album opens with Guilt, a title that sums up this song that details a deep dark tale of harrowing guilt and sorrow, given even more raw power by his stark, atmospheric guitar playing.
The following song Hold of my Soul, is at least the equal with it’s even more harrowing tale of drug addiction, that opens up the psyche of an addict, with yet again some excellent guitar work this time raw and evocative. That is followed by Through the Dark, with it’s nice acoustic guitar on an incredibly dark tale of revenge, belied by the relatively mellow sound! Heard the News, is sadly quite topical with it’s story of a soldier killed on duty and it’s effect on loved ones. Somehow Dara manges to dredge out all of the dark feelings of hopelessness and sorrow that the song implies, making it as powerful as most ‘anti-war songs.’ Judgement Day, again, is a quite dark song this time having a bluesy feel, with some slashing electric guitar playing on a tale of what eventually
awaits us all! The final song Alright, is probably the nearest this album gets to anything approaching optimism and whilst it is hardly a happy song it does at least show signs of a better side of
life with it’s tuneful guitar sound and lyrics that talk about burying the
hatchet and getting on with life!
This is not an album that can be classed as an easy listen and it can at times feel quite disturbing. No doubt some people will find it just too dark, although many will love it for this very reason, but everything about the recording smacks of quality and perhaps even more importantly, promises much for the future. A little bit of optimism at last!
http://www.daratunes.com
3.5***
This is Dara Amjadi's debut album and clocks in at a very short, less than twenty seven minutes and encompasses nine songs. Having said that, if it had been double the length it may well have brought on bouts of depression, such are it’s powerful generally very dark themes! And yet despite that, it is an extraordinarily accomplished piece of songwriting, singing and includes some exceptional guitar playing that combined makes it an incredibly rewarding listen! All of the guitar playing as well as the vocals are by Dara and the album was recorded at Milk Studios, London by Tom Aitkenhead. Fairly obviously he allowed Dara full rein to pursue his muse and despite it’s brevity and very dark themes, benefits immensely from the sparse instrumentation and moodilly
intense atmosphere. It is this intensity that strikes the listener first, with Dara’s vocals at times straining in an effort to get every last drop of feeling out of each song. His vocals are strong, full of character and lacking in any real softness but are able to bring an air of believability to all of these
powerful songs. Add this to his gifted guitar playing and you have an album that doesn’t need any additional adornments to enable it to make an impact.
He has a tremendously descriptive uncompromising style of writing on some really dark songs that contain very little in the way of optimism but plenty of realism and atmosphere, with a consistent intensity that must have been difficult at times to maintain. I know very little about Dara but if these are at all biographical songs he is very fortunate to still be around to actually write them! Stylistically, there is a soulfulness to most of the songs and they also encompass a bluesy alt. country feel! Whilst most are dark and brooding there are little snippets that suggest a modicum of optimism but that optimism is far from being this unusual albums main theme.
The album opens with Guilt, a title that sums up this song that details a deep dark tale of harrowing guilt and sorrow, given even more raw power by his stark, atmospheric guitar playing.
The following song Hold of my Soul, is at least the equal with it’s even more harrowing tale of drug addiction, that opens up the psyche of an addict, with yet again some excellent guitar work this time raw and evocative. That is followed by Through the Dark, with it’s nice acoustic guitar on an incredibly dark tale of revenge, belied by the relatively mellow sound! Heard the News, is sadly quite topical with it’s story of a soldier killed on duty and it’s effect on loved ones. Somehow Dara manges to dredge out all of the dark feelings of hopelessness and sorrow that the song implies, making it as powerful as most ‘anti-war songs.’ Judgement Day, again, is a quite dark song this time having a bluesy feel, with some slashing electric guitar playing on a tale of what eventually
awaits us all! The final song Alright, is probably the nearest this album gets to anything approaching optimism and whilst it is hardly a happy song it does at least show signs of a better side of
life with it’s tuneful guitar sound and lyrics that talk about burying the
hatchet and getting on with life!
This is not an album that can be classed as an easy listen and it can at times feel quite disturbing. No doubt some people will find it just too dark, although many will love it for this very reason, but everything about the recording smacks of quality and perhaps even more importantly, promises much for the future. A little bit of optimism at last!
http://www.daratunes.com