Dan Paquin (Dirt Bike Annie, Short Attention) has a long and distinguished history in the musical universe in which most of us inhabit. When I heard he had a new solo album coming out, I was intrigued. This is someone I admire, but I had little knowledge of his work as a lead artist. I wasn't sure what to expect from the album. What it ended up being was something pretty darn great.
Head Case, a collection of songs written amidst Paquin's pandemic experience, is essentially the culmination of all the musical influences he has ever had. And so it's very different from the records he has played on in the past. Specific inspirations are very hard to pin down because they're all over the place. But I'm hearing lots of indie/alternative rock from the '80s through the early 2000s with hints of power pop and classic rock. The big plus about launching a solo career in your middle years is that you've had plenty of time to absorb a wide variety of influences and figure out who you are and what you're all about as a songwriter. Broadly, I can sense a love for guitar-heavy '90s alt-rock, but Paquin is too skilled of a songwriter to really tip his hand on his influences. So he's arrived at a place where he just sounds like himself. And if you don't know Dan Paquin yet, you'll feel like do once you've given
Head Case a couple spins.
Head Case, like so many pandemic-inspired albums before it, is introspective and intensely personal. In Paquin's own words, this is an album about "loss, triumph, mysticism, death, life, divorce, family, mental health struggles, pain and joy." I have tremendous admiration for any songwriter who's willing to be this open and vulnerable with the entire world. I marvel at someone with the guts and the eloquence to write about mental health challenges or a crumbling marriage from an insider's perspective. But here's the thing: all of that only works if the music is good. And in the case of this album, the music is very good. First of all, I can't really place whom Paquin reminds me of vocally, but he reminds of someone (or perhaps several someones). As a singer, he's quite likeable, with a voice that's capable of both dramatic emotion and more understated, matter-of-fact musings. Generally I'd describe his musical style as loud indie rock with hooks. And while many of these songs could stand out in isolation, I would urge you to experience Head Case as a complete work. This is an album that tells a story a lot of us can relate to. And even as it was conceived during the pandemic, its narrative transcends a specific moment in time. This is a tale of some doors closing and others opening, of reckoning with the past yet also looking to the future and figuring shit out. Paquin's lyrics are vivid and powerful while still leaving a lot open to interpretation. And even as the album confronts heavy themes, it's not a depressing or "difficult" listen. With their memorable choruses, nifty guitar hooks, and carefully crafted melodies, these are enjoyable songs to listen to. While of course I'm partial to some of the crunchier, '90s alt-rock-ish numbers like "Barely Afloat," "If You See Something Say Something," and "Blown Away," I might say it's the deep cuts that really make this record. "Beach Boys Paradise" sounds like it belongs on the soundtrack of a movie you'd never get tired of seeing. "Lost in a Dream" starts out as an unassuming ballad and just keeps building until it soars. It would be a perfect album closer if "Slowly Fades" weren't an even better one.
Dan Paquin's Head Space is a reminder that even in the digital age, the full-length album is still a format of tremendous value. I know we live in a moment when there's so much of worth out there to listen to and never enough time to hear it all. But I would highly recommend giving this album 37 minutes of your undivided attention. It's a terrific album and an absolute triumph for a much-loved musician who is just coming into his own as a songwriter. Old fans of his will not be disappointed, but a knowledge of his past work is no prerequisite for a thorough enjoyment of Head Case.
