CLAUDINE NOPPE
On 2 February Dan Patlansky released his ninth studio offering, Perfection Kills. This album follows critically acclaimed Introvertigo which was released in 2016.
Perfection Kills kicks off with “Johnny”, showcasing Patlansky’s raspy voice and his talented songwriting. The song has a very catchy chorus and is reminiscent of 1980’s blues rock. Near the end of the song a brilliant electric guitar solo can be heard. In a statement released on 2 February Patlansky describes the second song on the album, “Never Long Enough”, as being about “being home with the love of my life and how the seemingly mundane is something I yearn for. The clock is constantly ticking to my next departure and these moments with her are never long enough.” The song starts with, and ends with, a cute piano hook which emphasizes the romanticism of the song.
The album tempo is then slowed down slightly with the melodic “Mayday”. Patlansky’s voice really shines through the simple melody of the song. “Mayday” is the type of song you can get lost in. For the fourth song Patlansky took a stance on society describing “Too Far Gone” as asking the question “With the annihilation of the environment, famine, war, greed and human stupidity, the world is becoming scarier every day. Are we too far gone?” The heavy rock vibes of the song ensures your attention is held. “Judge A Man” is the perfect midway mark of the album as it is a quintessential blues song and very reminiscent of Patlansky’s previous work. If you are a lover of old-school instrumental blues you are going to love “Judge A Man”.
“Junket Man sounds similar to “Too Far Gone”, but switches it up with an exciting chorus featuring a strong vocal performance from Patlansky. According to Patlansky “A Junket man is someone who travels for their livelihood, which is an accurate description of my career. “iEyes” is another song Patlansky uses as social commentary. The song is centered on the idea that we are living our lives addicted to screens and that we stopped seeing how beautiful the world around us is. The song ties in with the first song on Perfection Kills with its 1980’s vibe and distorted vocals. “Shake the Cage” brings the tempo of the album down again and takes it back to being simple blues rock song with beautiful lyrics and guitar instrumentals and drums just keeping the beat in the background. Using guitar instrumentals to change up the rhythm of the song is something fans of Dan Patlansky have come to expect and yet again, he does not disappoint. “Shake the Cage” fades wonderfully into “My Dear Boy” which Patlansky wrote for his son, Jake. The song’s intro is beautifully done. The interesting use of Patlansky’s vocals will surely keep listeners enthralled. The tenth and final song “Dog Day” is a showcase of Patlansky and his bands abilities, almost as if they wanted to end the album with a song that will leave a long lasting memory. With interesting tempo and rhythm changes the song is really special. Perfection Kills is a well written and thought out album that Patlansky fans will love. For those who have not yet listened to his music, it is also a great introduction to what he can do. The album shows off his full vocal range, Brilliant guitar skills and thoughtful lyrics.
5/5
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