I always find it a challenge to write a review for an album that I fall in love with quickly. In the case of Nothing Is Wrong, the sophomore offering from California band Dawes, I once again seem to be wearing my heart on my sleeve. I'm always a sucker for the type of catchy roots-rock and country-songwriter moods that this record has to offer.
Lead singer/songwriter Taylor Goldsmith first lit up my radar from his work with Americana super group Middle Brother earlier this year. His contributions to Middle Brother ("Thanks For Nothing," "Wilderness" in particular) seemed to resonate with me the most, and currently occupy several slots on the Top 25 Most Played playlist on my iPod. Dawes actually includes a track that was first released through Middle Brother, the she's-gone-away ballad "Million Dollar Bill." I actually prefer Dawes' version.
The opening track on Nothing Is Wrong, "Time Spent In Los Angeles," begins with lonely, surf-washed guitar chords that build through the first verse into a catchy chorus. "You've got that special kind of sadness/You've got that tragic set of charms/That only comes from time spent in Los Angeles/Makes me want to wrap you in my arms." Those lines have been playing in my head for the last two days.
The songs are very well-crafted, my favorites being the 70's rock feel of "Fire Away," the shuffle groove of "The Way You Laugh," and "My Way Back Home" (a great choice for a show-closer). Taylor Goldsmith's classic guitar riffs, Griffin Goldsmith's confident drumming, and Wylie Gelbert's smart, driving bass lines highlight each song in a mix with just the right, satisfying balance of reverb and echo.
There are distinct echos of Jackson Brown, Tom Petty, and the Eagles here, but Dawes consistently temper any over-indulgence in the derivative with their own penchant for clever lyrics and tasteful instrumentals. This is easily one of my favorite records of the year.
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