Album Review: Darwin Deez - Songs For Imaginative People

Listening to the new album from Darwin Deez gives some insight into what being trapped inside a computer must sound like. Songs For Imaginative People is the second album from Darwin Deez and contains the familiar, kooky indie-rock tracks that can be found on the debut self-titled album from 2010. This time however, accompanying the band's prominent, trademark guitar and mostly nonchalant vocals of Darwin Smith, is a myriad of sporadic and sometimes alarming electronic sounds. The buzzing, squeaking and high frequency resonance can be startling at times. The distinctly digital theme is introduced with the first track, (800) Human, and weaves throughout the rest of the album, both in lyrics and sound.

The best thing about Songs For Imaginative People is the lyricism, continuing right where Darwin Deez left off. The album makes reference to everything from the idiosyncrasies of humans to environmental pitfalls and astronomical phenomena. Nothing is off-limits. Content is covered using a mishmash of lyrics, clustered together so erratically, phrases become charming and, in some cases, pure genius. Listen out for classics such as, “I am sober as a marble/I think I love you are horrible” (You Can't Be My Girl) and, “I'm powerless to ponytails who used to do gymnastics” (Alice).

Songs For Imaginative People is another light-hearted indie-rock album from Darwin Deez. However, it is more explorative, diverting away from their previous successful cross-over into the mainstream. Despite some of the similar sounds you'll hear on this album, none of the tracks seem to pack the same punch as previous pop sensations Radar Detector, Constellations or Bad Day.