I am not trying to make anyone jealous, but I do receive a large amount of CDs free every single week. It's a wonderful thing, although my mailman hates me with a passion. Lately though there has been a lack of truly great music. There has been average music, mediocre music, music with potential, music from Slovakia, good music, but little to no great music. Then 'din' arrived and the world was right again.
'din' are a Californian three piece who blend elements of punk, pop, rock, alternative and even Celtic music into an astonishing little masterpiece of a debut that they modestly called 'Greatest Hits Volume One'. Normally I would be sharpening the knife for any band that had the balls to do that, but two things save 'din', first this is a genuinely excellent album, not just excellent songs, but as an album as well, and secondly there is a deep sense of irony about din. A sense of humour (British, get over it!) and superlative songwriting skills, man this is great.
'din' are the brainchild of Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist Graham Irwin, who also goes by the pseudonym of 'the champ'. Like him or not this guy has balls. Originally from some tiny island in Nova Scotia he grew up listening to, and appreciating, the likes of 'The Police', 'The Clash' and 'The Jam'. Excellent musical taste there, all the same stuff I liked. Actually every single person in America who wants to be in a punk/pop band should be forced to listen to 'The Jam', it would make the world a better place.
Moving from the bright lights of Nova Scotia to the backwaters of Venice Beach may seem like a crazy risk for a musician, but it certainly paid of for Mr. Irwin. The eventual result was 'din' where he is joined by Shane Bishop on drums and Andrew Martin on bass. As discussed elsewhere on this site three pieces are just so much sexier than other bands, and 'din' are no exception. The guest musician list on this album also includes 'Carl Stephenson' who is the frontman for 'Forest for the Trees' and produced Beck's breakout work. Here he contributes his Fiddle playing skills, and helps add that Celtic twinge to 'Ebb Tide', which would be a stand out track on ninety-nine percent of releases, but is just part of the melee of brilliance that is 'Greatest Hits Volume One'.
The album kicks of with the moody indie pop of 'A modest proposal', that builds around the voice of Graham and a simple guitar pattern. From here we move into the funkier 'Office Boy' which has single stamped through its soul. It also introduces the listener to the subtle sense of humour that runs through the entire album. (File this, file that, fix this, fix that, stand up, fall flat, feeling like a doormat!). The slap-bass line and shout-a-long chorus are likely to stick in your head for a long time.
I could go on doing a track by track breakdown, but just take it from me they are all excellent, in many different ways. This album was obviously a labor of love for Irwin, and that is probably the real reason I like it so much, there is a genuineness about this album that is lacking on most. He knows how to write a commercially viable little tune, but that is a byproduct of his early musical tastes rather from any desperation to sell records. The album flows across its thirty minute ten track existence without ever even beginning to overstay its welcome.
Oh and they also feature an organ grinder style monkey and a computer with a boot through it on the cover art. There could probably be no better juxtaposition of images designed purely to impress us here at Indie Monkey. All bands take notice.
Anyway check out their site and music and give this devastatingly good little band some more sales, because I want to see their video for 'Office Boy' on MTV before I die. Go to it my minions.

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