REVIEW: Dance Gavin Dance's Downtown Battle Mountain

For me, it doesn’t seem like almost two decades now, but I must be getting old.

I suppose part of this has to do with the fragmentation of the post-hardcore scene after the early 00’s. Another part of it has to do with the commercial conflation of post-hardcore with trendy “scene” bands that occurred during the latter half of the decade and continued into the 10’s.

It’s a shame. Dance Gavin Dance are a band who has continuously been looped into the camp of trendy acts. And while they certainly have a pop sensibility, they are far beyond a pop act and not just a fad.

Downtown Battle Mountain was the band’s debut full-length, released back in 2006. The previous year, they had released an EP to show people what they were about. Yet, the EP was not clearly indicative of what was to come.

Downtown Battle Mountain is a perfect example of what an LP can do. It’s a nearly-seamless blend of technical proficiency whilst minding catchiness.

DGD’s unique brand of post-hardcore put them aside from contemporaries. Their sound harkened back to a time of predecessors like At the Drive-In and Thursday. Their dual-front man clean/dirty vocalist dynamic, though not uncommon in the genre, was a tactic that reflected acts such as pioneer punk groups like Fugazi.

Every musical aspect of the band was important for this album. Yet, there is a dual powerhouse that exists between lead-guitarist Will Swan and drummer Matt Mingus.

Swan's guitar playing is both innovative and anachronistic, using licks that relate not only the metal and post-hardcore texture-based methods but also the melodic sensibility, sometimes being even reminiscent of Hendrix, at least in spirit.

And then you have Mingus and his drums, an instrument that is more necessary than ever for a rock band to make an impact in these times. His role is crucial in making the assault that you hear in every song. Mingus plays like a metal drummer trapped in a funk band, and this is a good thing. He knows when to relax, but he is always ready for an assault, utilizing his double-kick when necessary. In short: he isn’t afraid to lay back but when he charges in, he never impedes.

While this is all good and well, we have to consider the vocalists.

Enter the Jon(n)s:

DGD has had a turbulent list of members and that turbulence continues to this day.

While Swan and Mingus have remained constant, the band has seen a revolving door for the other members. Most prominently with the vocalists.

For Downtown Battle Mountain, their vocalists were Jonny Craig and Jon Mess.

Craig, being the clean vocalist, brought a contemporary soul/R&B sound into his performance. His flamboyant style is often polarizing to listeners. However, I think he serves as an effective tool in the overall mix of things. His brand of soulful flare, which has since been mimicked countless times by others, brings out a unique dimension in the sound of the band.

Jon Mess, on the other hand, is a completely different creature.

Mess’ harsh vocals are just as constant as Craig’s cleans. They almost completely devoid of melody and is a beast of two natures. Sometimes the beast is aggressive, sometimes the beast is absurd. Usually, they dance a thin line in the middle of this bipolarity.

Now, I think that a harsh vocalist is similar to a bass player in a certain regard. Both can use their instruments to the extreme or they can be minimal and only do what’s necessary. However, the best path is usually somewhere in the middle. Personally, I think that both vocalists are slightly overly-present, but not to the point that it seriously takes away from the songs.

What stands out to me about the songs as a whole is how well each one is put together. Sure, there are some numbers that aren’t as well-designed as others, but for the most part they are unique. Another strong point is how the songs are predominantly aggressive in nature, but they can just as often-and just as suddenly-shift in mood. The atmosphere is prevalent in each number throughout the album as well. These songs really feel spacious and compact when either is necessary.

Ever since this album, Gavin hasn’t been able to capture the same essence in any other release. Don’t get me wrong, I think their discography is pretty solid or decent at worst, but they’re in a very different place now. The best we can do is embrace the present and celebrate the past.

SONGS I RECOMMEND:

“And I Told Them I Invented Times New Roman,” “Lemon Meringue Tie,” “The Backwards Pumpkin Song,” and “Turn Off the Lights, I’m Watching Back to the Future.”