The Danks new EP, “Samples,” arrived in my in-box about the time of the great RIAA tragedy, so it fell below my radar at first while I was sorting out all that bullshit. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to listen to it, I’ve taken full advantage, playing it through twice. It’s power pop exported from Prince Edward Island, Canada, and it’s as strong a debut as I’ve heard in a long time. The best track on the release, “Sold Me Out,” has a Janie Jones beat, but adds classic indie rock vocals (somewhat hoarse, somewhat whiney, prone to cracking) and razor sharp, stuttering riffs. It’s pretty characteristic of The Danks. Every song is rife with hooks and fast drums, a party in every track. They finally slow it down at the end for “I Mean Come On,” an acoustic track with oddly muffled drums that sound like someone in the next room banging on the walls and a climax of single-piano-key plinking. No, it’s not revolutionary: You’ve heard this before. But it’s not often this compelling. It’s the kind of music that major labels snatch up, sterilize, and make banal. But The Danks are still indie, still raw, still hungry, and tons of fun. A fabulous debut of a band that (I’m certain) must kick ass at live shows, and deserves your attention.
BONUS FRANZ FERDINAND POWER POP
