5.5/10
Accompanying Dinner's release of Disco Rock on the Japanese label Fantome Records is its predecessor, And... Hearing Things. Notable about the re-release of the 2007 album are the two closing tracks that have been "re-ordered" and offer some form of compensation to the seemingly DIY sound of the entire production of the initial release. DIY doesn't mean that it sounds like a recording with a tapedeck in a rehearsal room, but rather that the minimal effort during the recording and finishing of the album doesn't do much justice to the virtuosity that is to be discovered. And virtuosity is plentiful with Dinner.
The band's effort results in playful indie and post-rock with a rhythmic hint of funk and groove that make up an upbeat, almost psychedelic, instrumental rock variant. Soothingly opening the release is "#Zero", featuring laid-back acoustic guitar plucks and (what appears to be) a set of spoons. This leads the listener into the frenzied drumming and bass lines of "#", where subtle guitar chords struggle for their place in the "question and answer" structure, sometimes ending up with a few surprising hooks and bridges. After this swirling introduction of the album, the tracks take on a more flattened-out structure which tends to endanger the apex of the release. The strictly necessary room for essential breaks and fills is barely respected, and sometimes even seem to confuse the artists themselves at certain points, with the result that some of the staccato accents feel more like mellow speed bumps messing up the ride.
The strongest parts of And... Hearing Things are the down tempo, breezy tracks like "Six-Seven-8" that gradually evolve and climax, proving that skilled instrumental work and well-written structures are within Dinner's capabilities. Nevertheless, there is still some work in finding the less awkward sounding structures and the right sonic environment for every particular instrument. Every now and then, some spaced-out pads come into play to fill the background, something that I would've liked to hear more. By doing so, they could easily drop one of the leading rhythm guitars, providing some more depth in the general guitar sound, and strengthening the fragile backbone of Dinner's sound. In the end, the album is a debut by a young and obscure band, so hopefully they'll have the means to fine-tune their music as they go along.
The two closing (re-ordered) tracks of the album offer an audible insight in the produced direction Dinner should explore in my opinion. Unlike their ten two-dimensional cardboard predecessors, these closing tracks have a new-found depth and liveliness, unleashed through the simple application of some effects and mastering. The finishing touch is a bit rough around the edges, but a comparison to Rovo (minus strings) is not too far-fetched on this band filled to the rim with potential...
Written for and published by The Silent Ballet. (click for full review)
Dinner myspace
Fantome Records
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