Did it take a buncha Sydney kids to reinvent Brit Pop for the New York City anglophiles? That’s what it felt like at Pianos Saturday afternoon when DMA’s played a set which when quiet sounded like Travis and when loud sounded like Oasis and also seemed like a fresh kick at classic rock.
Lead singer Tommy O’Dell has some of the stillness and some of the timbre of a young Liam Gallgher, everything has a low undertow and when he slows it down his voice is all feeling and emotion. With just producer-guitarist Johnny Took joining him, Tommy nails a lovely “So we Know” late in the set, the girl next to me was singing along with her eyes closed and it was one of those rock ballads nobody knows how to do any more.
On stage the group are energetic and smart, the songs are melodic diamonds and when the band turns up the volume, they shake and when they lower the volume the volume they shudder. The prettiness and intensity of Tommy’s voice makes up with Johnny’s look of aggrieved hostility and moodiness on stage and second guitarist Matt Mason who sings back up so well you think he could front the band if he wanted.
The first single, “Delete” is as strong a song as you are gonna hear from Australian Brit Pop, a gorgeous melody and a pleading earnest vocal but the band can’t quite sell the songs on stage yet. Originally a studio creation, the sudden success of their first song forced their hand and they’ve been touring arouns Australia this year.
Over in the states, Johnny looks like a nastier Jean Jacques barnell, and Tommy’s eyes bug out and he holds his hands together in front of himself and sings from his stomach up. The band look like best friends on stage and they have a certain chemistry and any uneasiness will be probably wear off soon enough.
Even if it doesn’t DMA’s songs are all great so who cares?
Grade: B
