Sean Dalton – “Yuck”
Sean Dalton’s is a college kid out of Minneapolis, who has dropped the single entitled “Yuck”. The track is bravely straightforward and authentic, while, Sean Dalton is an unobtrusive post-punk artist, probably too messy to be enjoyed by those that like their pop clean and explainable. But to anyone who likes pop music, “Yuck” is an argument for itself, from the very first bar, establishing emotion and beauty as its primary motive and disregarding all other conventions.
The song is heavily centered on guitars (the jangling variety) and post-punk’s trademarked underwhelming swagger that remains low-profile, even at points when the mood is less melancholy. Beyond that, the track slithers its way into the psyche through the dirty bass groove and insistent percussion.
Reviewing music is difficult due to the fact that liking music revolves around personal taste. Sean Dalton cranks out warm and melodic post-punk songs with a rock attitude, bit it’s an acquired taste as he buries the vocals deep into the mix. And it is this very smooth and buried melody that’s gorgeous beneath the hard-tuned jangly guitar lines.
From the first notes of “Yuck”, the music sounds fiery yet mystical, owing to the odd softness of Dalton’s vocals that actually propel the guitar and bass melodies forward in a manner that will never go out of one’s mind even after a single listen: the effect is of so many melodic lines molded perfectly into a single unit.
This is something the Beach Boys did with regularity. The most definitive element of distinctive sound emerges from the layered guitar strumming, foremost in the mix, and neatly bent.
The track shows just how Sean Dalton can make his dreamy melody into a strange mystery of sound, whilst the listener literally floats through its amazing effortlessness. Unlike many self-indulgent instrumentals on tracks, this song finds virtue in simplicity and soothingness, epitomized by Sean Dalton’s beautiful restraint.
If you’re not that into music, and you’re not willing to let a song grow on you, then this isn’t for you. You’re not going to play this during a party; you’re not going to put this song onto a mix tape labeled ‘Fun’.
This is a pure, unadulterated almost dream pop sound that, in the minds and souls of some translates into a raw, emotional, and even psychological experience. Either you love it, or you hate it. Either way…listen to it first!
OFFICIAL LINKS: BANDCAMP
