Dutnoff kicks off 2021 releasing his debut album on Shame Destroyer!
Like a time-forgotten amusement park built long ago, but rarely used, Dutnoff’s self-titled debut album is a trip. It belongs in the alternative section of the non-existent (almost) record shop, for various reasons. This 21st century album of programmed drums, beats that keep the train (barely) on its rails, full of punk attitude and DIY roots allows you to lose yourself in its melodies, its simplicity, with guitars yes but also an electronic feel and noise. Years of thoughts, ideas, and confusion, splattered out in the course of a week. Dark but still sorta hopeful, it works as a soundtrack to life on Sunday mornings, alone in a car or on the bus, but also goes well with walking empty streets, the road less travelled, while thinking about nothing and everything.
There are stories here too, all of them spat out in a way that makes you want to listen to this unique-sounding “one-take” approach. Dutnoff is a reluctant storyteller “singer” recording in a place where “excessive noise” had to be well timed. For many decades he has written, performed, and been a part of many musical projects in the Toronto music scene without fully committing his name to any self-titled works before: a true example of what happens when you just write songs because you love music. A mix of everything you love and maybe even some of what you don’t comes out. This is a record that surprises listeners, as diverse music fans of Bowie, Social Distortion, as well as Portishead, The Kills or even The Cars will likely sing along to different bits on here. Noisy, in a somewhat indie way, alternative in its sense of originality and oddness.
This is an original album that needs to be heard. Of course, it may or may not be possible to have an album that’s simultaneously great for spacing out, rocking out, dancing, and lamenting and celebrating, but there is a part of this writer who thinks that this album hits all these points. You do have to just listen and pick your own seat on the Dutnoff bus. It’s an album that works best from start to finish, as a traditional album would back in the age of analogue. But listen however and whenever you like. It could change you, the way new and thought-provoking music should.
Check it out on your favourite digital music platform: https://lnk.to/dutnoff