Dilly Dally: I Feel Free
The hard-edged and highly-touted Toronto rock band has bounced back from a near split to record a second album. This opening track showcases the powerhouse vocals of frontwoman Katie Monks and reaffirms the group as real contenders.
By Kerry Doole
Dilly Dally - "I Feel Free" (Dine Alone): In a label bio, Katie Monks, frontwoman of the highly-touted Toronto rockers, calls their upcoming album Heaven one that "feels like the album we’d make if the band died and went to heaven." She candidly admits that inner turmoil nearly broke up the band before the recording of the album, due out on their new label, Dine Alone, on Sept. 14. The group's internationally-acclaimed debut album, Sore, came out on Buzz Records.
Monks adds "we wanted this new album to be something that could help heal old wounds and rejuvenate us while on the road, something that could give us a clean slate and a fresh start. Making this record helped us fall in love with each other all over again.”
Their demise would have been regrettable, as this opening track on the record confirms Dilly Dally as a band to be reckoned with. Its crucial weapon is the powerhouse voice of Monks, one capable of emotional subtlety as well as raw power. Reference points for the hard-edged DD sound could include Hole, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, or the Kim Gordon-led Sonic Youth. The guitars are heavy yet clean, and the production work of Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck) effectively harnesses the group's energy. Lyrically, "I Feel Free" seems to refer to the group's rebirth (sample lyric: "We’ll start it again / In a moment of silence”)
Interesting factoid: Monks is the sister of Dave Monks, of popular T.O. rockers Tokyo Police Club. A North American tour runs Sept. 7-23, including a show at The Phoenix in Toronto on Sept. 12. Dates are here. A recent set at Universal's NXNE Rooftop Party was fiery and compelling.
Links
Booking (Canada / World): Ben Buchanan - CAA ben.buchanan@caa.com
Management: Jaime Nabrynski - C3 Management jnabrynski@c3mgmt.com
Publicity: Ken Beattie - Killbeat Music kb@killbeatmusic.com
