The Danks, Are You Afraid of the Danks?

This album opens with a fast drumbeat that reminds me of the way many Green Day albums have opened. There is an occasional bass line here and there that reminds me of something out of Green Day, too, but otherwise, that’s where the comparison ends.

The Danks take us on a rock ‘n’ roll sort of ride that, quite frankly, we’ve all been on one too many times before. They’re not quite Black Rebel Motorcycle Club or The Damn Personals, but they’re close to it. They’re also not like better known bands such as The Strokes and Coldplay, but they are also close to that. If I was forced to give this a name, instead of it being “rock ‘n’ roll,” which it really isn’t, I’d have to call it “pop ‘n’ roll.” Can I have that term? I probably didn’t make that one up, either.

As always, something stands out on this particular album that really irks me. I don’t know why these bands just can’t leave me alone, but there always seems to be this one thing that I just can’t leave alone when it comes to these bands I don’t like. The Danks have a song called “Die Young,” in which the chorus is about how the singer guy is going to die young if he doesn’t change his ways.

To me, that’s just such a desperate move on his part. It’s one thing for a musician to have troubles and die at a young age, but it’s another (and a complete bonehead move, from where I sit) to sing about it when you’re a relatively unknown band. Yes, this guy could die at a young age, and you know what? Since no one has heard this music yet, no one will probably care. He might as well just title the next album The Album We Record before I Go to Rehab and promote the tour based on the fact that he might not make it to your city because he might party too hard. Heck, instead of “The Danks,” why not just change your band name to “The Rock N Rollers”?

To answer the title question they pose: no, I am not afraid of The Danks. I am also not impressed by The Danks.