Review of Ne'er Do Well - Dusty Sunday Morning

First of all, as a disclaimer, Ne'er Do Well is my friend Ryan Stoick's band. I do still intend to be objective in my review, however, but bear that in mind throughout.

1. Lordy, Lordy:

Muddy vocals. Great beat. Decent lyrics. Good drive throughout the song. Drums and distorted guitars are big plus. Too short.

7/10


2. So High, So Low:

Though the song has a definite Soundgarden vibe, the vocals remind me of Ozzy at times. The clapping rhythm is a plus, but the song doesn't take off the way I'd like it to. The song is too short, but it does have solid lyrics and a good drive.

6/10


3. La Dee Da:

This one has an Alice In Chains sound to it. It features a good drum-driven beat, the best lyrics so far in the album and a dense, atmospheric sound. There is an excellent vocal contrast in the final minute and a very good AIC-style guitar fade at the end.

8/10


4. Sowing Season:

A decent Screaming Trees beginning transitions into a better AIC sound that's handled much better than the original demos I've heard. Great lyrics, good quiet-loud dynamic. Guitars are a bit muddy for my taste. Solid guitar/drums instrumental beginning around the 3 minute mark. Great build throughout the song.

9/10


5. Nightingale:

The opening guitar lick seems to borrow from Nirvana's "Polly". Slow and somewhat lacking in intensity. Decent lyrics. Good guitar-work on the breakdown before the last verse. The song ends somewhat abruptly. This is the first version of the song that I've heard and I didn't care for it much. My least favorite song on the album.

5/10


6. In Dispute:

This song has a good backing beat and an Alice In Chains vibe. Solid lyrics. Transitions cause problems at the beginning, but get better as the song progresses.

6/10


7. Halo In My Hand:

Interesting style, especially the horns and drums, which give it a bit of a Latin vibe. The best lyrics of the album. Definitely the most original, best and interesting song of the album. A bit too long, but the atmosphere of the song sets a great mood and maintains it throughout. My favorite song on the album.

10/10


8. Noose Around The Sun:

Good guitar work at the beginning. Vocals and guitars don't quite mesh at the beginning. Guitars get fuzzy around the one minute mark, which works much better with the vocals and the chorus. A definite Nirvana vibe permeates the song, especially in the lyrics and vocal style. Guitars are dominant and solid throughout. Hooky chorus.

9/10


9. Kaliedescope:
Good harmony and vocal contrast with the female guest vocalist. Great lyrics. Good build to the song and interesting guitar work between the verses. An interesting song with an eastern vibe to it. One of their best.

10/10


10. Winter Song:

Screaming Trees cover. Guitar creep sound at the beginning of the song doesn't work well with the song structure. The song improves when it hits the chorus, but it's a bit slower than the original. The vocal performance is solid throughout. Mid-song instrumentals work well. A great song choice for a cover, but some sections are too slow.

7/10


11. Corona:

Weird dense vocal and instrumentals throughout the song. Interesting horns. I prefer the previous arrangement to this song. Lyrics are excellent, but the song doesn't carry itself as well as previous demo versions, and it's too slow.

6/10


12. Velveteen:

Good lyrics, but muddy vocals and harmonies that don't work well. Good guitar and drumbeat set a great tone for the song, especially the military-esque drumbeat. Vocals improve as the song goes on. A great song if not for the vocal problems at the start.

8/10


13. Fly In The Wall:

Great AIC influenced chords at the opening of the song. A slow instrumental song with creepy guitar work and moaning vocals. Good mood music. Would be excellent as part of a movie score.

9/10


Overall:

Heavily influenced by AIC, Screaming Trees, with a scattering of Nirvana influences.

Too slow at times.

Vocals solid for the most part, but too muddy at times.

Good guitar work, but they frequently get drowned out.

Lyrics are dark and frequently insightful. Songs never trip on lyrics.

A promising debut.

8/10


Best Songs:

Halo In My Hand
Kaliedescope
Sowing Season
Noose Around The Sun