New Music Tuesday: Maniac – Dead Dance Club [Album]

I will admit, I truly have not only been listening to enough music lately, let alone enjoying just about any of it. I have definitely be voiding myself of anything that sounds remotely “fun” or somewhat “enlightening”. But, every once in a great while I try my hand at feeling well once again, and sometimes I am very fortunate in that a brilliant band like Maniac may come across my digital desk. And all feels right with the world once again! I’m not saying it happens often, but it has for sure happen on my latest road to “wellness” through music.

Maniac is a L.A. based & light-hearted punk rock that blends beautiful vocal hooks with hard hitting guitar riffs that ripple through your ear lobes like a discarded Pringles can pushing through the ocean waves. Their sophomore album Dead Dance Club is one of those rare gems of an album that can be listened through in its entirety without a single second of boredom or yearning to move on from their sound. Each track on the album seems to embody its own spirit, its own personality, yet each one has a familiar feel to the last. I’ve found it pretty rare to come across a band like Maniac, who seem to know exactly what they are doing, and what they want to convey, but at the same time are not afraid to take some chances and have a fucking field day whilst blending old school go-go-go punk with a modern freak pop sensibility.

I’d be hard pressed to choose a stand up track on this album, but gun to a labrador puppy’s head, I’d have to say that I have some kind of special affection for “Children of the Dirt”. I’ve found this short but exciting track that really exemplifies just what Maniac is all about, and what they are trying to convey with Dead Dance Club. It has a simple chorus, a deep-throated bass line, and even a nice little guitar solo. Seriously, a chorus as simple as “Children of the sun/children of the moon/children of the dirt” says so damn much even if it really says so little. I can’t help but love it. “Living In Stereo” has a similar vibe as well, I must add. Shit, I could really go on and on about each track individually. But for your sake, I shall not.

Yeah, I have to say that I really needed to hear a band like Maniac these days. I could ramble off a laundry list of other bands that they somewhat sound like, but I have the distinct feeling that I would instantly regret doing so, and would most likely be entirely wrong. Let’s just call Dead Dance Club a fantastic album that I am certain to continue enjoying for quite some time. Maniac has created one of the finest albums of 2018 thus far, and I will be eternally grateful to this creative masterminds for making my year!

Photo by Zach Mcaffree

Dead Dance Club is available now Hovercraft/Dirt Nap Records. Check it out HERE.

And if you are reading this from the west coast, be sure to catch Maniac at one of these (probably) fine establishments:

06.14.18 – San Francisco, CA @ Light Rail Studios

06.15.18 – Corvallis, OR @ Bombs Away

06.16.18 – Portland, OR @ Green Noise Records (6 pm) AND Lay Low Tavern 

06.17.18 – Tacoma, WA @ The Valley

06.18.18 – Bellingham, WA @ Boscoe’s Tavern

06.19.18 – Vancouver, BC @ The Astoria

06.20.18 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

06.21.18 – Portland, OR @ Blackwater

06.22.18 – Eureka, CA @ Siren’s Song Tavern

06.23.18 – Oakland, CA @ Golden Bull