It’s been almost 3 years since Melbourne based alt-rock artist DC Maxwell released debut album Lone Rider to widespread acclaim. The record earned the Aotearoa raised musician a prestigious NZ Taite Music Prize nomination for Best Independent Debut, and the blend of poetic lyricism with the punk rock sensibilities of his live performances helped cement his reputation as a fierce and intense performer who embodies his songs with a frenetic passion.
Now he is back with The Singer, and expectations are high. Sophomore albums can be difficult for musicians to navigate, torn between the tried and true formula of what worked before, and the desire to grow and expand as an artist. Thankfully, DC Maxwell has figured out how to absolutely nail it. The 9 songs that make up The Singer’s compact 33 minute runtime are filled with heavy riffs, catchy melodies, clever lyrical flourishes, all anchored by Maxwell’s arresting vocals and infused with a perfect mix of light cynicism and heartfelt proclamations. Not a second is wasted across this record.
The album kicks off with title track (and recently released single) The Singer. An immediately catchy, bright, upbeat track with a snappy melody, it is a wonderfully confident and high energy opener. It’s a humorous contemplation of legacy and the question of what it means to be a musician in these strange times – “anyone mad enough to write songs, ain’t long for this world” – that feels like a statement of intent from Maxwell, followed by a declaration that the only answer is to focus on the joy of making music – “Fellas I’m not tryna set the world on fire, just tryna make the people sing and dance”. It’s an admirable sentiment.
The early tracks on the album have a very ‘90s Brit Pop’ kind of vibe to them. There’s a swagger threaded through these songs and that very specific sense of optimism and confidence that was so emblematic of the era. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Jesus’ Son. The opening chords immediately bring to mind early Oasis – specifically Wonderwall – before the cascading heavy guitar riff and drums kick in and the song becomes its own thing – a punchy, heartfelt and at times grungy track filled with some memorable lyrical zingers – “I’ve seen heaven in a broken glass”.
The record takes a turn towards a more contemplative experience as it proceeds. Funeral Suit is a love song haunted by the spectre of death; vulnerable and sincere yet also sprinkled with traces of a sardonic wit – “I wear my funeral suit just for fun so I’ll be ready when it comes”. Half Real though feels like the true heart of the album. A stark, stripped back acoustic track and featuring a duet with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy (Will Oldham), it is filled with melancholy and regret, but also a real sense of hope and possibility for the future.
Maxwell’s vocals are the foundation upon which the album is built, and they feel fresher, more dynamic and powerful than anything he’s done so far. Apparent influences often come to the forefront, especially later in the album in tracks like the Strength of a Saint with its traces of Morrissey, while Baby Put The Gun Down immediately calls to mind Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. There’s such a wild and frenetic quality to the almost spoken word vocals, like a punk preacher’s sermon set against the heavy stabs of grunge guitars, that one can’t help but think of Red Right Hand.
In Heaven is a mournful elegy of a song, with pleading vocals backed by droning guitar and the melancholic wail of a choir. It’s a slow, contemplative prayer that somehow feels the complete opposite of where this album started, but also a crucial part of the storytelling as a whole.
Closing out the record with the more hopeful Right Line, DC Maxwell has put together a great collection of tracks that deliver a thematically diverse and accomplished sophomore album with The Singer, and one that offers a tantalising hint as to what the future holds for this exciting and talented musician.
Listen to the album here.
Follow DC Maxwell here