Album reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

The Dollyrots – Daydream Explosion (2019)

The Dollyrots are once again making headway in the music scene kicking off their new album Daydream Explosion and a nationwide tour that begins on March 17th in Newport, KY. Their catchy melodies, classic pop-punk vibes and wildly impressive vocals have struck fans yet again with this 14-track whirlwind of songs featuring the ever-popular ‘Everything’. The track was voted ‘Coolest Song in The World’ in 2019 on SiriusXM’s ‘Underground Garage’, along with their earning top spots on a multitude of other ‘best of’ lists, including that of I’m Music Magazine, the Huffington Post, Folk n’ Rock, and The Punk Site. 

Founded in Los Angeles, CA in 2000, the band has shifted members a number of times over the past twenty years and is currently being by two of the founding members – husband and wife duo Kelly Ogden (bass, lead vocals) and Luis Cabezas (guitar, backing vocals). The Dollyrots have released six EPs, 20 official singles, and nine total albums since 2004. Daydream Explosion is the first out of the nine full albums that have been released under Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records but is their sixth with producer John Fields, who is well known in the music community for his work with Switchfoot, Goo Goo Dolls, All Time Low, and Jimmy Eat World.

Daydream Explosion strikes immediately as familiar in the best possible way. Instrumentally, the pop-punk aesthetic is evident and classically comfortable to anyone even remotely familiar with the genre. That isn’t to say that The Dollyrots seem to mind popping their head ‘out of the box’ so to speak. ‘Flippy In My Red Dress’ is track number 11 and stands out immensely on the album. Its jazzy blues flow gives listeners a subtle break from the norm and allows the band to show us that they are far more versatile than they initially appear while holding on to that Dollyrots sound we love so much thanks to Ogden’s voice



While most of the songs are endearingly simple, this song catches you not only with its poetic lyrics but with Ogden’s flexible vocals. It begins soft, feminine and sugar-sweet evolving into a strong, very punk-heavy chorus. The frequent transitions are an unanticipated and a most welcome feature helping to immediately set the track aside as a favourite. 

Continuously holding our interest with their energetic, consistent and much-loved sound, we can only imagine what The Dollyrots have in store for us in the future. Their ability to deliver recognisable music while regularly surprising us with creative and distinctive tracks will keep fans coming back for more, time and time again. 


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The album tour is nowhere near the last we’ll be seeing of The Dollyrots this year. Be on the lookout for their new 7” single set to release this Spring via their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also check out their official website for information and concert dates/tickets.