The new album, “Let’s Hear It For The King” from the DAN REED NETWORK will be released Friday June 17th via Drakkar Entertainment
The Network’s sixth studio album is another uplifting & exciting soul-funk ditty-fest with those gritty rock twists we have come to expect. This will be DRN’s first long player since 2018’s Origins album.
Correlative to the churchianity of the album title, (although we guess DRN are referring to a ‘King found inside‘ rather than any distantly primeval sky-dwelling deity) listeners had better prepare themselves for spirituality… these songs are all about shared creeds & doctrines.
“This is the heaviest, funkiest and most melodic DRN album to date,” says Dan Reed. “These songs are the strongest representation of the band’s sound that we’ve ever created. You have been warned!”
powerfully emotive without losing any sense of jucundity or expressionism…
Raw Ramp Music Magazine
“Pretty Karma” is about the perils of tribalism, and thus it’s a colossal aural sensation with oodles of guitar, sackfuls of rhythm, whiplashes of scuzzy synth, and a heartfelt melody line that extols enthusiastic healing rather than retribution, retaliation. and anger. The message is: let’s stop this madness, we need to find common ground…
“The Ghost Inside” is about the voice in our heads that tells us we can’t achieve things, or we aren’t strong enough to achieve our passions… this is when we come face to face with the inner ghost. As an agitated musing about the state of interiority, this song is saturated with bristles of reason. The bass goggles netherwards, the vocals are redeeming, and the beats are always exhilarating…it’s a song that serves to liberate. And it will be a joy to fans of So era Peter Gabriel.
“Starlight” is reminiscent of Thunderstruck (AC/DC), but also has luscious vocals, splendid rhythms, and an unwinding guitar flourish that produces an ultra-psychoactive and, to be honest, subliminally expository chorus. And, yes, you’ll note it’s even a bit Bon Jovi-ish at times with melodic intentions… A swirl of rhythm & sugar stick hokeypokeyness.
DRN’s bassist Melvin Brannon II sent Dan the original demo of ‘Supernova’ from the band’s early funk-rock club days. Unsurprisingly, it’s a danceable spree with rippling guitars, a bouncy chorus that’s not unlike Jessie J’s Do It Like a Dude, which of course must have been written maybe twenty years later in 2010! Altogether, this is a swirling fizzle of doublefunk dancefloor grooviness!
Like all the tracks on this essayistic album ‘Homegrown’ (video shared below) is filled with vital messaging. Similarly to Supernova, it’s an old funk-soul-rap number, rediscovered by DRN guitarist Brion James. It is (probably) about how external influences, such as: ghouls on socials, liars on twisted media channels, haters on streets, these (often faceless) low-life characters are forever sucking away our united hope for peace & love. The obvious answer is to turn our backs on these evildoers and return to homegrown love… So this number is very rhythmic, but also wonderfully moving. The voice is heaven-sent clarity. The guitar bubbles. The rhythms are loose. And the keys are chipper. Perhaps it could have been more groovy with a blast of horns here and there, nevertheless, it is powerfully emotive without losing any sense of jucundity or expressionism….
“Let’s Hear It For The King” is a sanctifying wrap of exciting moments that arrive as fully-functional danceables— but these songs will also bring capacity & healing to anyone who wants to listen alone and meditate on the ideas. If your impulse is to feel love in your heart, we suggest you start right here!
Words: @neilmach 2022 ©
Pictures: photo credit © Amanda Rose
Dan Reed Network’s new album “Let’s Hear It For The King” will be released by Drakkar Entertainment on Friday June 17th. The album is available to pre-order here – https://danreednetwork.tmstor.es/
Check out DAN REED NETWORK live (dates below music video)
AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2022 Live Dates
CO-HEADLINE TOUR WITH RECKLESS LOVE
SPECIAL GUEST: COLLATERAL
TICKETS: WWW.GIGANTIC.COM AND WWW.DANREEDNETWORK.COM/TOUR
The Garage, Glasgow
Tuesday 30 August 2022
The Mill, Birmingham
Wednesday 31 August 2022
The Warehouse, Leeds
Thursday 1 September 2022
Rock City, Nottingham
Friday 2 September 2022
Hangar 34, Liverpool
Tickets: http://www.ticketweb.uk
Saturday 3 September 2022
Academy 2, Manchester
Monday 5 September 2022
Electric Ballroom, London
Tuesday 6 September 2022
Tramshed, Cardiff
Wednesday 7 September 2022
Engine Rooms, Southampton
Thursday 8 September 2022,
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