Dinosaur Club know how to write a good pop song. Their melodies are infectious; their music is concise; they sing about broad themes like summer and love, and they make it all sound so simple. In fact, for a young band, Dinosaur Club have an almost preternatural grasp on this concept, something that makes their eponymous debut EP highly enjoyable, but doesn’t necessarily help it stand out from the pack.
What does help is that where a lot of that pack tend to worship at the alter of Pavement or Nirvana, Dinosaur Club evoke a slightly tidier 1990’s sound which is especially reminiscent of Garageland, The Rentals and Ash. Opening track ‘Juneau’ sounds particularly informed by the latter (once it casts aside the surf-core intro), circa their album 1977. The ensuing nostalgia helps the material feel lived-in and comfortable. ‘You and Me’ has the most breadth of any of the songs on the EP and along with ‘Spooky Tooth’ adopts janglier guitars, subtle synthesisers and even xylophone. Shades of Britpop permeate ‘Everyone we Know’, which ends up sounding like a Christmas jingle that Jarvis Cocker might write. Then finale ‘Lazybonezzz’ carries the EP to a swift, up-tempo and natural conclusion. There is an overall air of seasonality that makes the EP perfectly placed for your summertime playlist.
It’s also to the band’s credit that it all sounds so professional. Dinosaur Club have clearly honed their sound and taken their time to record as polished an EP as a band could hope for on their first try. While it occasionally sounds a little generic and lacking in resonance, it’s still a collection of songs that fit a pop mould for a more discerning audience than those who enjoy the lifeless variation of the genre. Dinosaur Club have appeal, talent and an EP that highlights those attributes perfectly.
