Daniel God Damn Byrom – Live from Dead Tuesdays (2021)
Daniel God Damn Byrom is picking up where his debut left off with the EP Live from Dead Tuesdays. Set in the same semi-fictional town as his debut, he crafts lo-fi indie-folk tracks that are melancholic and vulnerable. With heartfelt lyrics and a unique charm, the EP draws you further into his fictional world.
If you haven’t heard Byrom’s solo music before, you might know him as the frontman and lead songwriter for the band Wild Cat Strike. While the two musical projects have very different sounds, he often finds inspiration for both through the different styles and arrangements. Through both, he helps listeners find hope in the darkness while getting lost in the worlds he creates.
The journey into his world starts with ‘Some People’ which brings a serious hit of melancholy to your ears. Using only his voice, Byrom draws you into a somewhat depressed musing. The music of the track carefully creeps in from the low levels in a soft swell. This is a really interesting start to the EP as the vocals distort and provide a sonic representation of detachment, isolation and depression. The layering of the vocals later in the track takes everything to a new level and you can’t stop listening.
‘Apple Bobbing’ has a gentler folk tone to it like a lazy summer day. The guitar line is a soft breeze against your skin while the vibes of the music relax you and lift some of the negative emotions from the opening. The storytelling structure of the lyrics has the day detailed in the track playing out across your brain. There is a fair amount of nostalgia in this track as you reminisce about happy and easy days long gone. Woven into the nostalgia is a touch of melancholy but this has been wonderfully tempered with a light and bright feeling.
The sombre guitar line that opens ‘Funeral Song’ makes you think of overcast days that threaten rain. Byrom’s vocals match this vibe as he slowly walks you down the track with an almost despondent shuffle. The slow tempo of the track enhances the sadness of the song while the vocals bring vulnerability to your ears. The hushed feeling the song brings makes you want to whisper and not disturb anything. There is something about the melody that offers a rainy day feeling that you can’t escape.
The journey comes to an end with ‘Michelle Was A Handsome Girl’. There is a lighter feeling to the opening of the track that puts a small smile on your face. This is a little strange as you sink into the song which is part love song and part cults. Through the vocals, you are filled with the emotions of having loved Michelle and all the positive emotions knowing her brought. This is drawn down by the feeling of loss and the realisation that there has been mass suicide.
Daniel God Damn Byrom takes you back to his semi-fictional world through the melancholic tones of Live from Dead Tuesdays. Each song brings its own hit of melancholy wrapped around vulnerability and loss. The tenderness of the music is enhanced by the vocals that make you want to sit back and feel the emotions he brings.
Find out more about Daniel God Damn Byrom on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
