Posted on: July 18, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

“In LA” is the first track on “Smoke N Mirrors”, and what the band lays down will immediately catch the attention of anyone in the vicinity. The band takes nods from The Donnas, The Runaways, and The Distillers, and puts a little bit more rock into the equation that fuels “Smoke N Mirrors”. The titular track on “Smoke N Mirrors” looks further back into the annals of music to pull influences from as wide as Shania Twain, Stevie Nicks, and Blondie; the sheer amount of different styles that go into the creation of each of the tracks on this album will make the widest possible array of fans perk up whenever a DanseWolf track begins.

“I Think Maybe” still has the same intense tempo and momentum, but the slightly softer arrangements really allow the bass to shine here. What results then in “I Think Maybe” is a track that builds off of the work of No Doubt, albeit with a much more proficient set of arrangements than their influence. “Shut You Down” begins the second half of “Smoke N Mirrors”, and it is this track that shows me that the band can innovate even at this later stage. The vocals are still the focal point of this track, but there is a certain majesty present with the instrumentation that will have listeners’ focus split. “Like A Ghost” is the final track on this album, and it provides the perfect ending to a strong album. This track is another single-worthy track for Danse Wolf, and comes from an interesting location; the track itself builds off of the doo-wop genre and creates something that even the younger set can enjoy.

I personally would like to see how the band continues to evolve over the course of their next few albums; the eclectic set of acts that influence DanseWolf here could lead any later album into any one of hundreds of different directions. However, the one thing that I believe will be a constant is that DanseWolf will put their heart, mind, body and soul into anything that they want a wider audience to hear.

Top Tracks: Smoke N Mirrors, Shut You Down

Rating: 8.3/10

DanseWolf – Smoke N Mirrors (CD) / 2011 Self / 6 Tracks / http://www.dansewolfmusic.com

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