Twenty-first century alternative music fans already know Dan Boeckner, perhaps first for his work co-fronting Canadian Invasion alt-stars Wolf Parade, but also for his many other bands, from Handsome Furs & Operators to his team-up with Spoon’s Britt Daniel as Divine Fits. Throughout all of this, Boeckner has maintained his frenetic energy, which has always balanced on the fine line of about to fall apart entirely, without ever doing so. That continues with his first proper solo release, Boeckner!.
And this is very much a Dan Boeckner (!) album. His trademark anxious, need-to-get-it-out style cuts across all of Boeckner!, from the catchier opener “Lose” to the reaching for more in hope & in vain closer “Holy Is the Night”. There is a real feel that Boeckner has to make this music and give it to you, both nervous and necessary, on songs such as the more expansive “Don’t Worry Baby” or the memorable “Dead Tourists”.
Yes, Boeckner! is the Dan Boeckner that you’ve known for almost twenty years now, but that’s exactly what you’re looking for, and exactly what he needs to make.
