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Reviews
| ARTICLES - I-94 Bar interview March 2005 | I-94 Bar interview May 2003 | AMO Interview May 2003 | New Here Live April 2004 |
| REVIEWS - Fibrotones - Summer City | On The Beach at First Light | Rock and Roll Records | P76 | Jericho |
Selected Reviews - 'Fibrotones' album. McDonald has hit the mark with remarkable consistency throughout his career and /Fibrotones/ proves to be no exception. Whether taking a more solemn approach as on “25 Years In The Ring” or cranking it up on the opening “The Old Bamboo”, McDonald’s song craft shines through here and continues to reveal a romanticism that he’s always been prone to. Thankfully, he delivers this theme in such a way that you become a willing participant rather than just an observer. To say that McDonald “writes what he knows” would be an understatement – Fibrotones is loaded with references that are foreign to a guy like me way up in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. No, I don’t know anything about “the old Bamboo”, have no idea where Castlemaine is (“A Bitter End To A Sweet Weekend Away”), and have never taken a stroll through Waverly Park (“A Different Ballgame”) but McDonald’s earnest delivery draws you in like an invitation you’re happy to get. His characters - alternating between dreamers, thrill seekers,
and the heartbroken – are certainly familiar and often share
the common need or "A good example of the modern big beaty guitar power pop
sound the Australians do so well. Danny's songs are up beat, happy
and fun. He hasn't yet written the stop-'em-in-their-tracks classic
he is capable of, but until then this will do nicely. Especially
impressive are the lyrical references to Australian culture. Danny
goes beyond the expected references to sun and surf. His songs
hang from 'ragged old gums' or "Fibrotones" runs the spectrum from full-tilt garage rockers ("Amberlene", "Lazy Dogs" ) to Neil Young-like ballads ("A Ragged Old Gum"), a raging surf instro ("Sandpiper") and reflective pop ("A Bitter End To a Sweet Weekend Away"). If you're a lyrics fan, you'll find enough of substance to enjoy
(or react to) on "Fibrotones". The distinctly Australian-ness
of some of the It's not too much of a stretch to draw a comparison with DM3,
the vehicle for Danny's much-admired musical role model Dom Mariani.
The pair share a liking for guitar and vocal melodies with teeth.
Both are fine qualities in rock-pop he sagely says, being careful
to avoid the Danny McDonald ranks alongside Jack Jones as the greatest musician
to come out of Traralgon, in Victoria's Latrobe Valley. Danny
is 3rd album solo of old Jericho and P76, this guy is one of the
veterans of the Australian power pop scene and indeed of the whole
planet. With his instantly recognizable voice throughout, his
songs which feature both electric and acoustic numbers are memorable
and your day will be saved thanks to them. Probably the worthy
heir to Dom Mariani (Stems, DM3). A must-have of 2005. Selected Reviews - 'Summer City' album. "One of this country's most underrated songwriters, Danny
McDonald makes the kind of music which, if you listened to on
a Monday, will put a smile on your face for the rest of the week.
Beautiful, sunshiny guitar pop." "Having made a name for himself in a span of just a
few years with terrific power pop outfit P76 and garage project
The Stoneage Hearts, McDonald has now solidly launched his solo
career by following up some supurb single with an even more supurb
full-length. His to-the-point songwriting hits hard and leaves
a lasting impression. Whether he’s rocking on endless summer
soundtracks like "Soaking Up The Sunshine", "At
The Seaside" or the gritty surf instrumental "Mermaid
Beach", or getting sensitive on the two acoustic tracks "Let’s
Get Drunk To You And Me" or "An Hour’s Drive In
A Sandman Panel Van", McDonald combines great songwriting
about good times with a sincere and believable delivery. Magnificent."
"At just shy of 26 minutes, Summer City is more of an
EP than a full-blown manifesto, but you’d be hard pressed
to find a brighter, shinier shade of power pop than this. In fact,
the whole thing "sounds" like a beautiful day at the
beach. But therein lies its deceptions, because beneath the surface,
some of McDonald’s songs claw at ugly truths, as in the
ennui of "Since The Old Man Shot Through" and the even
creepier tale of murder and rape, "Sandy Harrison".
Still despite its schizophrenia, the driving guitar jangle, perfectly
arranged backing harmonies, and infectious songs about soaking
up the rays and drinking just for the hell of it make this an
addictive, if peculiar, listen. It’ll be interesting to
see if McDonald follows this up with his interpretation of Wild
Honey (Beach Boys) or perhaps a considerably more blue-collar
singer / songwriter-type effort." "Brings to mind teenage mid-west gurl-damage power pop;
slightly embryonic but sincere nonetheless. And thus its charm.
This Rickenbacker-fueled pop, however, is inspired by the beaches
of Australia. Nice energy and tunes sprung from the heart. All
infectious and what not. Now all he needs is to sharpen up the
vocal production and he'd blow us all away." "With a fine pop pedigree in the likes of P76, Jericho
& Oscarlima, Melbourne’s Danny Mc Donald knows how to
bang a perfect pop song together....An infectious solo debut that
pulls out all the right ingredients, delivers an early summer,
isn’t afraid of its heritage and tastes as fresh as tomorrow
morning’s raisin toast." "If the true essence of an Aussie Summer could be captured
forever in time, this would be it" "...it captures the Australian Summer like no one since
The Riptides!!!" "McDonald's music is classical - classical in the sense that it's pop, radio-friendly in a great way, with each song running for just over two minutes. McDonald has rightly created, perfect tunes for driving down to the beach...At the moment 'Summer City' is the patient buzz you get when you know something magnificent is around the corner. Summer's a long way off, but Danny McDonald's music will certainly get you through Winter with a big old friendly smile." - Beat Magazine (AUSTRALIA) 2003 "Guitar pop doesn't get much better than this. What's more, Danny McDonald manages to imbue his songs with local (Australian) references in a way that doesn't come across as contrived or cloying...Danny's blessed with an appealing voice and is no slouch on guitar...You can apply the term 'powerpop' to this disc and although that's not doing it a disservice, it does sell it short. It goes lots of other places, and diversity is a strong point in this instance" - I-94 Bar Website (AUSTRALIA) 2003 "Maybe the most enjoyable pure pop album of the Summer, Danny McDonald's "Solo" debut is like a cross between Paul Kelly's late 80's albums with the Messengers and the straight-forward hooks-and-harmony of Brendan Benson or Fountains Of Wayne.,,, McDonald has an uncanny knack for varied and appealing melodies, and his self-production is clean and richly detailed…" - Amplifier Magazine (USA) 2003 "..This guy's got a voice that is just made for power pop (like Dom Mariani or Peter Holsapple for example) and as a result you buy into every word....Secondly, McDonald can craft a hook and melody like few others, and lets his guitar do the talking for it....With McDonald's already impressive track record, this CD just adds to it. It'd gonna be a good summer." - Shake It Up Website (CANADA) 2003 "An album awash with images of Summer's more appealing delights, Danny McDonald has been able to capture it's essence in all it's sunny forms. With references to to the sun, surf, long drives and drinking till the wee hours of the morn', 'Summer City' is a slice of Australia's beach culture duly documented in this fine solo debut...This is a fine record from a quality songwriter." - Oz Music Project Website (AUSTRALIA) "'Summer City' confirms him as one of the greatest songwriters and performers in Australia (hence the world)..….Record of the year" - Gabriele Savioli, Where The Action Is Website (ITALY) 2003 "It's great to see an artist who retains his essential
virtues while conquering new musical and lyrical ideas" "Brand new album from one of the best singer-songwriters on the Australian scene…A MUST HAVE for any powerpop fan!" - Joseph, Butterfly Records (SPAIN) - 2003 "Danny McDonald is not in Red Kross, but his shimmering guitars and sunny melodies are right up there with Jeff & Steve McDonald…The difference is Danny delivers his pop irony-free -straight-up radio-ready hits from the 1970's written today." - MW, Robot Magazine (USA), 2003 "Australian power pop legend, Danny McDonald (P76, Jericho, Oscarlima, Stone Age Hearts) has one of those high-pitched girlie voices you either love or hate, but it's perfectly suited to the salty-breezed pop presentations on his debut solo album, Summer City. Imagine Todd Rundgren fronting any number of West Coast power pop bands (The Knack, The Beat, 20/20, etc.) and you've got the idea. Like Tommy Keene and Roy Sundholm before him, McDonald's affable demeanor and light-hearted delivery lift these sticky-sweet, toe-tapping tunes a couple of notches above the mundane flotsam and jetsam littering cutout bins the world over. The gentle, acoustic "Let's Get Drunk To You and Me" is a perfect happy hour tune. From the magnificent booklet art design of sandy beaches, bluer-than-blue skies, and summer-rental shacks (McDonald says, "the graphic artist employed images which I felt summed up the imagery I was trying to capture...1970s Australian surf culture and the 'down to earth,' simple nature of the record"), to the rocking, spirit-lifting, kick-off-your-sandals-and-stick-your-toes-in-the-ocean tunes with titles like "Soaking Up The Sunshine," "At The Seaside," "Mermaid Beach" (a bitchin' surf instro), and "In The Comfort of A Summer's Night," Summer City may be the most evocative album about the summer since Clapton's 461 Ocean Boulevard. The soundtrack of the summer of 2003 has arrived."
Jeff Penczak - Fake Jazz (USA) – Aug 2003 Selected Danny McDonald - 'On The Beach AT First Light' EP and 'Rock & Roll Records' single. "Australia's Danny McDonald is one of those guys who appears out of nowhere, and before you even have a chance to go "where'd he come from", he's got his name on about 10 different outstanding records…He's got the perfect voice for power pop - strong, melodic, and heartfelt - and he plays a ringing big guitar that reminds me of nothing more than DM3." - Steve Gardner, Big Takeover Magazine, USA, 2003 "Former P76 frontman strips down to the bare essentials and offers up: 70 seconds of pure sunshine. Followed by four minutes of heartfelt, hard-hitting loss. Then 120 seconds of everyman, night-on-the-town, just got paid fun and frivolity. Book-ended by two and a half mintes of man-and-his guitarwish-you-were-here simplicity. Dagnammit, he sure does know how to write a tune." Single Of The Week - Neala Johnston, Beat Magazine (AUSTRALIA), 2002 "Yeah,yeah,yeah; a power pop pleasure all about surfing. This one's aimed at my true loves. The vocal melody and delivery is as sunny as the summer surfing day it describes…It's Teenage Fanclub meets You Am I…At less than one and a half minutes; it's just like the short, sweet all consuming rush of riding a clean, peeling wave all the way to shore. And you'll want to paddle straight back out for another ride." Single Of The Week - Martin Jones, InPress Magazine (AUSTRALIA), 2002 "an ideal sampler for the A&R audience. Not they shouldn't already be circling" Single Of The Week - Martin Jones, InPress Magazine (AUSTRALIA) Selected P76 Reviews - 'Into The Sun' album. "Shimmering thick chords, sunny dispositions (the album title is entirely appropriate) and ingratiating hooks add up to P76. This Australian trio, aided by Oz powerpop legend Dom Mariani (The Stems, DM3) behind the boards, strikes paydirt with a sound not far removed from Mariani's best work, with a spirit that has also been heard in New Wave-era powerpop bands and current groups like Lolas. I knew I'd love this record like a long lost family member the first time I heard the opening chords of "Headed Straight for the Sun" - they are a slightly more subdued take on the majestic beginning of Bram Tchikovsky's classic "Girl of My Dreams". While not as massive as that tune, "Sun" combines the large intro with a mix of jangle, an interesting hesitation rhythm and a feel good chorus that typifies prime You Am I. In fact, that tune is almost like a syllabus for the band's winning attributes. P76 measures out these ingredients in different amounts on the other tracks, with a few additions on other tracks. Not to say it's formulaic - it's more that the band has developed its own musical vocabulary and finds 12 ways to effectively use it. Two of the best tunes run back-to-back. "Sleeping In" ("I don't want to waste my time/when I could be sleeping in") may be one of the most genial tracks ever recorded about adolescent/young adult ennui - the protagonist wants to get something going, but has a deficit in the effort department. The bouncy track shows that the lazy years could be pretty fun. "Something" is a great track to follow up - here, the singer is looking for "something to pin my hopes on" - the track is more yearning, and the chorus melody is so perfect, as the melody, like the lyric, sounds like it is reaching to grasp something - this track really resonates. P76 also acquits itself well on more downbeat tracks. "Golden Days" sustains interest throughout its five minute plus duration. Danny McDonald's vocals are a bit edgier, sounding a bit like Cheap Trick's Robin Zander. The track has the heft and drama of a top notch Oasis track, without the overblown theatrics that undermine the Gallagher brothers. The gentle "Slow Down" has an inspiring chorus - it has a soulfulness akin to Astrid. This record establishes a template, and the band's mature
lyrical outlook seems to forecast that they will also be looking
to expand their musical horizons as well. P76 is certainly off
to a terrific start, doing a great job of chronicling the joys
and frustrations of being young and wanting it all while having
not the slightest clue how to get it." "Well, this is just one of those CDs that makes you say, "Yes! Yes, this is why I like power pop!" Into The Sun may very well be the finest CD of it's power-popping kind all year, bringing together elements of 60's British pop, late 70's US power pop DIY ethics, and wraps it all around simply putting together great songs. Sounds like I could be talking about DM3, right? Then I guess it's probably no accident that Dom Mariani produced this Australian power trio. The similarities between P76 and DM3, besides the three-digit naming convention, remain on the surface - they both play guitar-heavy pop that you can't help but keep going back to. Yes, P76 have mastered the art of the "hook" and there an almost overwhelming amount of evidence to that here. Dig a little deeper, and you'll find a band very much in control of their own identity (much like, for example, The Lolas). The songs are distinct, guitarist (and former Jericho member) Danny McDonald's vocals soar on their own, and the rhythm section of bass guitarist Tim Mills and drummer Geoff Barnes seem almost possessed by challenging listeners with their twists and turns. The opening Me And Her, The Road And Our EJ stakes the claim here - right down to it's references to You Am I and The Stems. Like those bands, P76 alternates from rockers (the charging Let's Get Back To Where We Started ) to pleading slow-dancers ( Golden Days - which never loses impact throughout it's pop barrier-breaking five minutes plus), and even offers acoustic love letters ( My Sunshine ). Still, the focus here is on delivering the most satisfying two-and-a-half minute blasts possible. Sleeping In (co-written with Mariani) is probably the best example of this, where McDonald's vocal is as sincere as it should be and his guitar keeps its simple (and perfect) melody right there with it. Add an equally simple but effective guitar solo and have it kept rollicking by the drummer's stops and starts and there you have it - rock and roll that's every bit as exciting as it was meant to be. P76 alters the formula slightly, ending up with either steadier paced rockers like Transit or pure pop anthems like Summah Jane and Social Insecurity . Definitely a band to watch, and to get to know right now."
"To his credit, Jericho-then-P76 singer/songwriter Danny McDonald and his revolving crew stuck at it, transforming the band from indie hopefuls into power pop masters shooting blinding rays of sunshine…….For Into The Sun is undoubtedly Australian -in it's own way, it's as evocative of time and place as You Am I's 'Hi Fi Way' or Midnight Oil's 'Blue Sky Mining'…..P76's performance is all dizzy harmonies, luscious jangle, bass that bubbles with mischief, drums that echo the handclaps which impulsively take over your body every time you hear 'Slow Down'. They rock with all the unselfconscious joy their predecessors lost long ago, and that is what makes them vital……..there are dollops of prime Hoodoo Gurus and You Am I. But it's no small achievement that the only lasting impact is pretty much pure P76. With Into The Sun, they've conjured the perfect record at the perfect time of year. Here's to it being discovered and celebrated while it's still hot from the sun" - Album Of The Week, Neala Johnston, Beat Magazine (Australia), 2001 "…..P76's grasp on riff-driven melody and aggressive
garage energy is striking"
Selected Jericho Reviews - 'Retrospective 1995-1998' album. "Here’s a band that flew the pop flag so high that
they dubbed their second EP, Radio City, after Big Star’s
sophomore masterpiece. Fans of overlooked Oz guitar rockers like
Screamfeeder and Pollyanna are sure to be floored by this late
‘90’s quartet hailing from the Victorian region of
Australia. This 21 track compilation is the final word on Jericho
featuring 8 unreleased tracks and the bulk of their EP’s
and mini album. Specializing in loud, three-chord power pop with
songwriting flair borrowed from Matthew Sweet and Ben Lee, Jericho
weren’t terribly innovative, but were competent enough to
pen songs of striking quality best exemplified in "talking
to myself" and "don’t know what’s come over
me" to name a few. Absorbing all of the 75 minute Retrospective
in one sitting may prove a little wearing, but taken in smaller
doses Jericho pleases in spades." "It seems that these days you just can’t get rid
of Danny McDonald ... thankfully! His catchy hooks are all over
the scene, be it the power-pop soundtrack to an endless summer
of his band P76 or his own solo stuff, the glammy garage sounds
of The Stoneage Hearts and now Jericho, that actually takes us
back to his earliest days when it all began. Of course, had this
been the first one that I heard of his works, I’d be much
more thrilled, now that I know that he can do even better, I can
only enjoy the development of the pop-master-in-the-making. Still,
there’s a coupla stand-outs that will make me get back to
this collection every once in a while like the usual "big
starry-eyed" power-chords of "Coming down", "Talking
to myself" or "Tell me something I don’t know"
(well, they did name one of their EPs "Radio city" did
they?!), the infectious guitar riff of "Everybody’s
fool" or the jangly "flight" of the teenage-byrds
in "Don’t know what comes over me" and it wouldn’t
come as much of a surprise learning that he was saving "Washed
out" for the rainy days, so that he can "survive"
by offering it to the Gallaghers, for their "come back single".
Anyway, this is another "pop boomerang" that will keep
coming back no matter how hard you try to throw it away".
"Hot on the heels of Danny McDonald's solo debut Summer
City, comes this career overview of his power popping first band.
Jericho didn't last long (only managed four Ep's in their short
lifetime and didn't garner as much attention even in their native
Australia) but Retrospective 1995-98 makes a good case for them.
The closest comparison is their contemporaries and countrymen
Godstar, the group fronted by occasional Lemonheads bassist Nic
Dalton that took classic power pop song forms (sing-along choruses,
strained vocals usually sung near the top of McDonald's range
a la Chris Bell & Alex Chilton, sweetly jangly melodies) and
added a hefty dose of post grunge distortion. This album culling
the best of the four Ep's and adding eight unreleased demos (which
actually sound pretty much exactly like the released material),
probably drops the sub-par material, but based on these 74 minutes
of pleasantly noisy pop, Jericho could have been Australia's answer
to Teenage Fanclub if things had worked out differently."
"As a music fan you can play to yourself records for
all different moods in life. There is music for beerdrinking and
partying , there is music to go crazy to, if you are really annoyed,
backround music for relaxing, music for dancing, music for car
driving, music to go to sleep to, music for nostalgic moments,
music for romantic hours, whatsoever ! And then there is music
that puts yourself in a special mood if you listen to it. Danny
McDonald's voice and guitar bring so much colour in a rather dark
day that I wanna quote myself again: Splendid sound to drive in
our Datsun Coupe through the neverending landscapes of Victoria
headed straight to the Australian evening sun ! 'Jericho' was
a "meat and potatoes power pop group" that toured in
a 1970 Ford Transit the Australian eastcoast between 95-98. They
didn't get to their time the full appreciation that they deserved.
Popboomerang Records was so kind to release this fantastic retrospective
(4 EPs plus bonustracks). "File under:NO BULLSHIT" "For those of you, like me, who just discovered the
considerable talents of Danny McDonald (with the band P76 and/or
his wonderful 2003 solo record), this compilation shows that he
has been writing fine songs for a while. Moreover, it demonstrates
where he has refined his approach. Some of his characteristic
big chord anthemic power pop was part of the Jericho mix, but
I hear some other things -- in particular, on a couple of songs,
a later day Replacements vibe. Maybe that's just some of the lead
guitar parts -- listen to "If I Could" which crackles
with energy while McDonald wonders if he'll ever be able to "break
out of these chains", and let me know if I'm close. "Alone"
is classic modern power pop, sounding like a mix of Dumptruck
and The Posies, with a real emotional punch. Fans of P76 will
eat up "Talking to Myself", which is quintessential
McDonald, with a melody as big as a mountain sky and McDonald's
coltish yearning vocals. Guitarist Leigh Thomas has a couple of
his compositions on here, and "Washed Out", an exceedingly
well-recorded demo, is an effective pleading jangle rocker. In
addition to the numerous cracking good rockers, there is one really
good slow track, "Miles Away", which provides additional
proof that this band had some amazing stuff on the cutting room
floor. The song finds just the right chords to strike the right
chord -- it's a tale of two lovers who've grown apart. It seems
that it is heading towards and explosion, but instead, it mournfully
winds away. Which is the right way for it to end. Yet another
terrific slice of Australian guitar rock." "Every song on here screams 'classic'…I feel a massive surge of injustice at the fact that Jericho aren't as firmly ingrained in the Australian consciousness as other great acts of the past such as Ratcat, The Sunnyboys and Cold Chisel…I know I am gushing like a Teenybopper, but seriosuly I haven't been able to take this compilation out of my CD player for a month, and it doesn't look like shifting anytime soon. I haven't been this excited for a long while, or this annoyed that nobody else seems this excited." - Nathan, Oz Music Project(Australia) 2003 "They came, they played and they went, but they left us a legacy of some damn fine pop songs. Plenty of bounce, the odd slab of swirling Hammond, and a cascade of easily swallowed ditties that peel off one after the other." - Mike Fraser, Redbackrock.com (Australia) 2003 "You'll be knocked out by how good it is. When you're shopping for the new Even and You Am I best-ofs, grab a copy of the Jericho album. You won't be disappointed." - Jeff Jenkins, Inpress Magazine (Australia) 2003 You've surely heard me rave about Danny McDonald and his band,
P76; well, this is a retrospective disc of his first band, Jericho…As
for the songs, they are terrific, of course! Not as musically
focused or lyrically upbeat as Danny's solo or P76 releases, but
still excellent power pop nonetheless!" - Chris Mac,
Indie Pages (USA) 2003 |
