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Daylight

Demo (2009)
self-released

Reviewer Rating:

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Contributed by: mikexdude
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on April 7th 2009

What makes a great demo? For me, it has to contain general consistency with a dash of variety, musical and lyrical potential, and it must leave you feeling unsatisfied -- like you need to hear more. Daylight has done just this.

Five tracks of dual vocal punk rock drenched in sweat and tears, that's about as honest (if not more) as our 16th president. The two vocalists are distinct, one tackling a desperate gruff style while the other is far more melodic and intelligible; together, they create an extremely proficient contrast and dynamic that adjusts with ease to the moods the band throws at you. Daylight also seem to have an incredible grasp on `90s emo and post-hardcore instrumentation, and meshes it together into a deafening, cohesive and powerful wall of sound.

"Enough" is a solid, no-bullshit opener transporting the listener into a bearded land, garnished with flannel where Hot Water Music comparisons are impossible to escape. "The Best" and "Sinking" launches Our Own Wars-era Small Brown Bike into Lifetime-worthy endurance, while "You're Not My Father" is fairly somber, with huge chords that frame shimmering clean guitars and echoing toms. "Seeing and Hearing," my favorite, has the more melodic vocalist singing "the sound of ambulances in my head, they all make sense" before some tight breaks in the music. Very catchy.

And just like all great demos, it's over as quickly as it started. Though this style has recently produced some heavy hitters, Daylight will find their niche and stand their ground by avoiding too much pop and pristine.

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arejaypunx (October 22, 2010)

one of the better releases of the last two years. BIG things to come from this band I imagine.

mikexdude (April 9, 2009)

call me crazy, but I feel like after they release a full length, I'll enjoy these guys more than PBC.

No.

Blackjaw_x (April 9, 2009)

Everyone that likes this should check out all these very similar bands... Some of them have their albums free on their myspace:

Calculator - http://www.myspace.com/c4lculat0r
Castevet - http://www.myspace.com/romancastevet
1994! - http://www.myspace.com/1994theband
Make do and Mend - http://www.myspace.com/makedoandmend
My Heart to Joy - http://www.myspace.com/myhearttojoy

And then these bands that are similar instrumentally, but the vocals are a bit less Polar Bear Club-ish.

Algernon Cadwallader- http://www.myspace.com/algernoncadwallader
Street Smart Cyclist - http://www.myspace.com/streetsmartcyclist
Hightide Hotel - http://www.myspace.com/hightidehotel
Wormburner - http://www.myspace.com/wormburneryo

And then these bands that aren't that similar but I wanted to put here anyway because you'd like them:

Olehole - http://www.myspace.com/pronouncedolayholay
Pteradon - http://www.myspace.com/pteradonband
Strikeforce Diablo - http://www.myspace.com/strikeforcediablo

acorren1 (April 9, 2009)

this demo is sooooo so so so so good. i've been listening to it constantly.

nocigar (April 9, 2009)

call me crazy, but I feel like after they release a full length, I'll enjoy these guys more than PBC.

bakla (April 9, 2009)

thanks punknews for telling me about this because I liked this a lot, unlike some of the crap you groovie dudes talk about!

bigp (April 8, 2009)

Been listenin' constantly past two weeks. In and out of the car. Constant. Great music, want more.

Archangel (April 8, 2009)

Downloaded it because it appeared here, enjoyed it immensely, looking forward to more.

MyStereoHasMono (April 8, 2009)

Awesome fucking demo. Just so you kids know, you can DL it for free from their myspace. Here's the link: http://www.myspace.com/daylightpa

Don't stoppa rockin'

Jo_punk_promoter (April 8, 2009)

That demo is genious, can't wait to here more from them!

nocigar (April 8, 2009)

this is fan-fucking-tastic.

davesanta01 (April 8, 2009)

This demo is amazing. I'm really looking forward to see where they go from here.

danperrone (April 8, 2009)

it's really good. really, really good.

mikexdude (April 8, 2009)

Ah! The lyrics here are wrong here, it's actually: "The sound of ambulances in my head, they DON'T make sense." Don't know what I was thinking.

Icapped2pac (April 8, 2009)

I'm pretty much with you on this one. It's in the running with the Such Gold demo for best debut release of '09 for me so far. The only reason I'm rating it half a star less than you is because I've only been able to give it about 4 listens so far, so I don't think it has had time to fully marinate in my brain yet.