DREAMERS – This Album Does Not Exist
Words by Jennifer Boylen
Since their debut release over two years ago, buzz has been consistently surrounding DREAMERS and even with an EP release earlier in the year, their debut, This Album Does Not Exist, was not immune to the buzz. The Brooklyn trio put together 12 songs that as a whole seem very diverse, but each still feels genuine to DREAMERS–cosmic rock, grunge pop, or indie rock–call it what you want, you’ll get it, and a bit of vintage punk thrown in with This Album Does Not Exist.
This Album Does Not Exist was recorded on tape in an analog studio, so that alone gives it character and a cohesive sound (as well as brownie points). Stylistically, the album ebbs and flows between driving and heavier, to sweet and poppy. Each song has vocals at the forefront that are equally matched by full guitars and upbeat percussion. Throughout, I couldn’t deny similarity to bands like Bleachers (“Last Night On Earth”) and Walk the Moon (“Never Too Late To Dance), which just goes to show how much of a contender DREAMERS is in the ring. At face value, This Album Does Not Exist is a playful, at times self-indulgent record about life and getting high. However, when you get down to it, the ideas are deep and relatable with nods to drugs, romance and simply living your life. Their goal was “to counter the crassness of pop, the snobbery of jazz, and the pretension of indie that zaps the fun out of music with meaning,” and that they have achieved.
“DRUGS” opens the record in a big way with a larger than life chorus and hook but rather stripped down verses. That being said, I wish they had closed it in such a successful way. While “Little New Moon” is a great tune, it doesn’t leave a lasting impression as the finale of such a solid body of work. My only other bone to pick with this record is that five out of 12 songs have already been featured on their January EP, You Are Here, but that isn’t entirely out of the ordinary and would have likely been released as singles anyway.
Like I said, This Album Does Not Exist is pretty diverse. At first, the tracks seem to blend into one another, but with a closer listen, it’s a pleasing juxtaposition of catchy pop melodies, a bit of synth, and old-school style. The grit of DREAMERS clear punk influence balance their pop tendencies perfectly. This record also feels very honest but still a bit tongue and cheek, from lyrics like “Don’t want to think for ourselves, we’re just millennials, we do it for the drugs” to “I’m waking up in your bed, I’m just a lucky dog.” However, there is still a ton of depth–like the contrasting, overarching theme of finding your next high regardless of whether it’s from a person or substance. As a whole, This Album Does Not Exist doesn’t feel new but in a noteworthy way; it feels like an album that already exists in your collection that’s well-loved and well-played, so you might as well let it live up to it’s potential.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Recommended Tracks: “Sweet Disaster,” “Shooting Shadows” & “Come Down Slow”
