I am still trying to figure out how Daylight’s For The Birds have remained off my radar up until now. They are based in New York City, so you’d think I would have seen them by now, if even just by accident. The band formed out of the ashes of the critically acclaimed On!Air!Library, who made plenty of waves as they toured with Interpol and Secret Machines. For whatever reasons, they disbanded and created the even more impressive shoegazer pop group Daylight’s For The Birds.
Their debut album, Trouble Everywhere, is chock full of beautiful, lush guitars that compliment the sweet vocals of Claudia Deheza and Amanda Garrett. It begins with “To No One,” a mesmerizing track with a looping flute line, ethereal keyboards and just enough guitar to create a dramatic opener.
The floating dream pop continues with the lighter “Worlds Away,” backed by strings and an acoustic guitar before bringing in the drums and sleighbells. One of the most accessible songs on the album is “For Now,” upbeat and free from much sonic wizardry. Even when you strip away the band’s layers of sonic textures, you are still left with fantastic pop songs filled with memorable melodies.
One of the finest moments of the album is “Early Summer.” Taking over seven minutes, slowly building up by adding in flute, glistening guitars, crashing cymbals and female vocal harmonies, almost sounding like a less bombastic Secret Machines, if they were fronted by a female vocalist.
Daylight’s For The Birds’ Trouble Everywhere is one hell of a great album. Fans of Asobi Seksu, Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, Lush and Cocteau Twins should instantly fall in love with their atmospheric dream pop. You might need to pinch yourself to make sure you aren’t dreaming while listening to this brilliant debut.
The band describes their sound as “the last thing you wanna hear before drifting off to sleep… and the first thing upon waking.” I couldn’t agree more.
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