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Daylight

Demo
2009
self-released

Daylight - Demo (Cover Artwork)

Review by: mikexdude
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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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Posted by mikexdude on 2009-04-09 22:37:05

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

No.

Posted by Blackjaw_x on 2009-04-09 20:57:59

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

Posted by acorren1 on 2009-04-09 18:20:50
My Score:

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

Posted by nocigar on 2009-04-09 15:38:42

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

Posted by bakla on 2009-04-09 12:40:15

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

Posted by bigp on 2009-04-08 22:59:39
My Score:

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

Posted by Archangel on 2009-04-08 21:59:27

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

Posted by MyStereoHasMono on 2009-04-08 21:39:18

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'

Posted by Jo_punk_promoter on 2009-04-08 19:30:20
My Score:

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

Posted by nocigar on 2009-04-08 18:24:44
My Score:

this is fan-fucking-tastic.

Posted by davesanta01 on 2009-04-08 17:19:22
My Score:

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

Posted by danperrone on 2009-04-08 16:08:17
My Score:

it's really good. really, really good.

Posted by mikexdude on 2009-04-08 15:51:39

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.

Posted by Icapped2pac on 2009-04-08 13:41:55
My Score:

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.

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