IN REVIEW: Dead Sara - "Pleasure to Meet You"

It was all going so well. After years of toiling in relative anonymity before finally getting some overdue attention (thanks to a rapidly developing, highly charged live show, the howling single Weatherman and one of the flat-out best albums of 2012), Dead Sara were poised to break through. They signed a contract with Epic and saw their profile continue to rise in the form of bigger and bigger show bookings. When it was time to put their major label debut to tape, they had all the confidence in the world and a lot more playing experience and chemistry.

That's the most notable change from the previous record to this one; the songs are fleshed out and tighter, incorporating tonal shifts and additional instrumentation. You'd never have dreamed you'd hear a saxophone bleating on a Dead Sara song until now, but there it is in the middle of white-hot rager L.A. City Slum. See also the sludgy breakdown that's punctuated with harmonica at the end of Mr. Mr. The band clearly had a lot of toys at their disposal here; wisely they don't overdo it, opting to branch out casually but cautiously.

Like the self-titled debut, there's a noted balance between ferocity and tenderness, and the band is up to the challenge on both ends of the spectrum. The lines have started to blur, though; take Greaser, which starts off as a stark ballad and ends up being a thumping, celebratory anthem along the lines of vintage Hold Steady. Or the following track, Blue Was the Beautiful You; marrying their trademark intensity to a swampy blues groove, the track has what is arguably singer Emily Armstrong's best overall vocal performance yet and a rousing crescendo by her band mates, which raises it from great to "wow" and marks it as a clear album highlight. Then, there's closing track For You I Am, a slow burning ballad that feels like a tender denouement until the band kicks down the door and brings the album to a crushing, feedback-soaked conclusion as Armstrong wails "I wanna be dead / For you I am". To say it's heartbreaking is an understatement; it goes beyond heartbreak into the darkest, most bilious depths.

Perhaps therein lies the crux of why, with an album of progression, intensity and thrills in hand, Epic backed out; whereas the intentions of the debut album were more transparent, Pleasure to Meet You is a little more murky and a lot more unfriendly. Emily Armstrong's incredible range and incendiary performances are the main selling point of this band by default, and this album sees her screaming much more than crooning. It's also a much more profane album than I was expecting, wherein Armstrong freely drops F-bombs throughout and rattles off other assorted naughty words (including a particularly viciously delivered C-word) on the propulsive and fiery Radio One Two. Don't get me wrong, I'm not offended by it, but the language was a little surprising considering the track record and the few singles that trickled out leading up to release (the single release of Suicidal lops off a 15-second tantrum; just give him the goddamn fucking drum beat!).

There are a lot of great songs on this record but, in the context of a major label trying to sell units, the only thing on here that's ready made for radio is current single Something Good; it's an easy, groovy middle-of-the-road rocker that soars and sticks in the brain. As good as it is, it's not likely to open the door for something as darkly catchy as Lovesick to smash with it (but it would be awesome if it did). The age old "commercially viable" argument must have come into play here and, at least to an extent, I can understand the label's view. This isn't an immediate, easy record; as much as the suits would hope for it to be, Dead Sara just isn't The Pretty Reckless or Halestorm. Losing their place in the "big leagues" (whatever that means anymore) sucks, but at least they got to make the record they wanted to make without concessions or compromise.

Comparing Pleasure to Meet You to the self-titled record is almost a moot point. It may not be as raw, but it's every bit as intense. It may not be as immediate, but it's a lot more interesting. That said, whether or not it's better than what came before depends entirely on how you respond to the sonic changes. The album's variety and the quality of its songs ended up winning me over and, while I can see why its contents would make a label like Epic chicken out, their loss is most definitely our gain.

March 31, 2015 • Pocket Kid/Fontana

Highlights Mona Lisa • Lovesick • Blue Was the Beautiful You