Album Review: Brad Dunn and Dandelion Gold

Brad Dunn and Dandelion Gold – s/t
(2011, self-released)
(Purchase or stream at Bandcamp)

Brad Dunn (heard on Ball of Wax volumes 10, 14, 15, and 20) is yet another of Seattle’s all too well-kept secrets (I guess that’s part of the mission of Ball of Wax – trying to spill these secrets and share them with the world). Whether spewing noisy, somewhat-tonal guitar riffs with his old band Sleepy Workers or creating masterpieces of brooding pop music under his own name, Mr. Dunn can do little wrong to my ears. When I heard that he had teamed up with the brilliant duo of Johnny Goss and Ola Hungerford, aka Dandelion Gold, aka Cock & Swan, I knew good things had to be in store, and I was correct.

Brad Dunn’s sound is somehow timeless – there are echos of Lee Hazlewood, Ennio Morricone, and 90s guitar bands such as Polvo and Sonic Youth, among many others – and yet completely his own. There’s a certain weariness that comes through, both in the music – which is often slow and subtle – and in his somber baritone voice. At the same time, though, there is a playful energy that can’t be denied, whether in the dark humor of his lyrics or the decade- and globe-spanning turns that the music itself can take. Generally his songs manage to be slow, and often sad, while still being compelling to listen to rather than a depressing slog.

Dandelion Gold/Cock & Swan’s music has a similarly timeless quality to it. They have a brilliant knack for creating electronic-infused music that is both very new and strangely nostalgic and familiar. They employ electronics, analog technology, and live instruments deftly and in a way that lets the music speak for itself, rather than overpowering you with their sonic wizardry. It is apparent that they brought this approach to their collaboration with Dunn, and it absolutely paid off. Brad’s voice and guitar are the centerpieces of this record – the recording process for each song was based around an initial recording of him playing and singing – but Dandelion Gold clearly took a great amount of care with each song, determining how best to treat it, what instruments to add where, and most importantly what to leave alone. The result is an album that could almost have been made at any time in the past forty or so years, except for the fact that it could only have been produced by the talents of Brad and Johnny and Ola, so it is completely of the moment, and of our (very fortunate) region.

“Vacant Seats,” one of the album’s more up-tempo numbers, was featured on Ball of Wax Volume 20. There’s this  warm, warbly synth underpinning the entire track and a simple drum machine beat keeping time, both of which are wonderful counterpoints to Dunn’s understated vocals and layers of acoustic and electric guitar.

Brad Dunn and Dandelion Gold – Vacant Seats

I really hope these guys will keep this partnership up, and I hope I’m lucky enough to see them perform live in this configuration some time. (Apparently they will be playing at this year’s Northwest Folklife Festival; keep an eye out for them when the schedule is announced.) The whole album is available to stream on Bandcamp, and you can buy a download for as little as one dollar. So it’s not quite a “free album of the day,” but it’s damn near close. Pick it up before they change their minds!