Daphne Loves Derby – The Strength of All Convinced / 2005 Outlook Music Co / http://www.daphnelovesderby.com / http://www.outlookmusic.com / Reviewed 20 June 2005

Daphne Loves Derby has been influenced by Weezer. This is shown by the opening strains of the first track on “The Strength of All Convinced”, “Sundays”. The vocals of Kenny really are comparable to Rivers, and while the guitar and drums really destroy the comparison, Daphne Loves Derby changes their overall sound during “Hammers and Hearts” enough to continue the newly-minted freshness of the disc. The band’s first true hit comes during the aforementioned “Hammers and Hearts”, meshing a catchy chorus with a short runtime to ensure that the song will be permanently imprinted on the brains of all listeners.

Further tracks add a little more to the general sound of Daphne Loves Derby, especially allowing Jason’s bass to play a large part during “You Versus The Sea”. The disc speeds by quickly, owing much to Daphne Loves Derby’s very sedate and laid-back sound. While there are some definite virtuosic licks laid throughout the disc that do add a modicum of urgency to the band’s sound, there are enough roots laid down in the indie-rock that ensure that Daphne Loves Derby’s sound will never truly kick into high gear. For me, this is the largest issue I can levy against this disc; the tracks may all be created with the same quality and style that is a hallmark of the band, but aside from “If You’re Lucky, No One Will Get Hurt”, the style really becomes a little dated.

Still, the band has came up with a solid sound that really reaches a fever pitch at the disc’s ultimate track, “What We Have Been Waiting For”. While the mixing is slightly a little instrument-heavy during this track, the progression of the music on this track is exciting; the incorporation of a violin is a nice surprise, and the track just feels destined for rotation on radio. While there are a few minor issues with the band (especially the slightly-dragging tone of the middle section of the disc), Daphne Loves Derby has a maturity that reflects the band’s three-year existence much more than the teenage-average age of the band members. Daphne Loves Derby is a band that will come out with disc after strong disc, and chances are after more listeners get turned on to their music, that their star will only rise higher. The band plays an intelligent brand of rock, and while there are rough spots, these are dwarfed by the incredible talent that the band continually shows here.

Top Tracks: Hammers and Hearts, What We Have Been Waiting For

Rating: 6.3/10