Dani Nash is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Toronto, Canada.
She spent the last decade performing with some of Canada’s top artists such as JULY TALK and Andy Shauf. Needless to say, she’s no stranger to the music scene.
Along with making music, Dani is am activist and pillar of the Toronto queer music scene. She reminisces fondly on Toronto Pride as one of her favorite performances.
She just released her new full length album, titled Dani Nash. A self-titled album is often a lot of pressure because it implies that the record will accurately reflect all aspects of the artist. In this case, it is not only a great representation but exceeds expectations by seamlessly blending a variety of genres.
Let’s take a look at Dani Nash, track by track:
“When I Run” is a high energy indie bop that really reminds me of Tegan and Sara. The melody is super catchy and the bassline floats you through the entire song. It was smart to make this the first track because it sucked me in immediately.
“Lady, Lover” is more subdued than the previous track. There’s definitely more of a bedroom pop vibe on this one. A bouncy bassline steers us through this track along with a perfectly placed piano twinkle.
“New Trend” is the first single off the album. I was surprised by the 70’s rock feel, similar to Fleetwood Mac or Simon and Garfunkel. Nash’s ability to write melodies that will get stuck in your head is obvious just a few tracks in.
“West Side” has a cool garage rock vibe and became one of my favorite songs on this album. The guitars, melody and vocal delivery remind me of The Strokes in the best way. There’s a “feel good quality” to the chorus that just calls to be played loudly with your car windows down.
“How is That Fair” starts strong with a southern rock type flair. Strange muted vocals that sound like they’re coming through a broken megaphone follow soon after. This is by far the most experimental track on the album. After listening a few times, I couldn’t help but feel like Nash is channeling her inner Jim Morrison here.
“Fantasy” is a jangly indie track that could have easily been a single as well. Perhaps it will be in the future. It does sound like a song that could inspire a great music video. This leans more into pop territory than the rest of the LP, in my opinion. As a lover of pop music, it’s nice to hear some with personality.
“That’s What You Get” has a soothing, ethereal instrumental. The beginning was giving me “In the Air Tonight” vibes. It starts to feel almost creepy right when the song opens up and comes alive. This one had me picturing being back at an outdoor music festival.
“Fille” is a ballad that leads us into the end of this project. It’s a fully acoustic number that fits nicely as the 8th track. It serves as a welcome break from the energy that Nash manages to maintain on the rest of the LP. The fact that it’s so stripped down really makes you focus on and feel every noise.
“Be Honest” brings some of Nash’s country influence that we can hear peppered in throughout this release to the forefront.
“Get a Dog” has a really great guitar effect that gives the song a New Wave undertone. This is a fitting closer and seems to encapsulate Nash’s vast amount of influences well. “Wouldn’t it be nice if I could get a dog?” is a sentiment that resonates with me.
This is one of the most cohesive albums I’ve listened to in a while. Nash managed to walk the tightrope of having a ton of influences and spreading them evenly. It’s no easy feat, but this is an expert example.
The album has no skips, there are plenty of songs you’ll remember after your listen. I can’t wait for live shows to be an option again so I can see Nash’s stage show.
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