As a child of the '70s, I was fully indoctrinated into the urban legend that legions of nefarious individuals across the nation were conspiring to murder or maim children by handing out Halloween candy laced with razor blades. It was a preposterous idea. Somehow there were evil geniuses all over the place who had the time and skill to unwrap miniature pieces of candy, insert sharp, deadly objects while leaving the confectionary goodness fully in tact, and then re-wrap each item to a professional standard. Yet there we were year after year, heeding warnings that we all may have been holding a bite-sized death trap in our Halloween haul. And those fine folks who went to the trouble to hand out candy apples were now suspected villains. It was terrifying yet oddly thrilling. The only thing crazier than the insane things people believed before the internet are the insane things a large portion of society now believes because of the internet.
As I listen to Ghosts Of The Past, the new EP from The Daniel James Gang, my mind goes back to that mythical razor blade–laced candy. Daniel writes songs that are like that: sweet and chewy yet sharp and dangerous beneath the surface. I can't think of another songwriter who has a better grasp of how big-hook power pop and raw, street-tough glam punk are meant to come together in thunderous, staggering harmony. Ghosts Of The Past is the first new music from The Daniel James Gang since January of last year, and it's a crackling affair. On this release, the DJG is a proper trio with Mary Joy on bass and Pauly Hollywood on drums. "(Breakin') What Hearts Are Made For," the fireball opener, is electrifying old school punk rock 'n' roll with a massive, soaring chorus. I always love hearing Daniel and friends rock out, and that's happening here with full force. DJ collaborated with Geoff Palmer and Jackie Lemaire on the lyrics, and they really bring an edge to the love song genre. If that chorus were any catchier, half the country would declare it a hoax. "Artificial Romance," which slides close to pure power pop territory, is Daniel's most topical song of the bunch — a reflection on how bizarre and dystopian it is that artificial intelligence has encroached into the most human spaces we have: art and music. The dark yet melodious "Insanity" is inhabited by the spirits Joey Ramone and Stiv Bators — another reminder that some of the best love songs are the ones that are not for the faint of heart. "Drunk Like Me" is a super-charming cover of an absolute classic by one of Daniel's all-time favorite bands, The Dogs D'Amour. The band puts its full heart and soul into this rendition, which fits in splendidly with the rest of the EP. It's not hard to imagine people going nuts for this song when the band plays it live.
I just went into my draft of my best EPs of the year list and penciled in Ghosts Of The Past very near the top. It's a tremendous little record that anyone who visits this blog ought to be interested in. It's everything I love about punk rock, power pop, glam rock, and rock 'n' roll combined into one band. Who hears those raw, impassioned vocals without being immediately smitten? And when it comes to lead guitar playing that totally shreds while still retaining an ear for melody, Daniel is hard to beat. This set of tunes is totally killer, and this particular rhythm section is a bona fide powerhouse. How many times must I chant "Mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho" to ensure the music gods hand us a Daniel James Gang full-length in 2027?
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