The lazy approach would be to call Dauber "ex-Screaming Females," but that barely scratches the surface. If I had to pick one band to namedrop a comparison to, it would be labelmates Night Court. They play a familiar style but with a lot of quirks that set it apart from the genre standard-bearers. It's driving and energetic -- more importantly, though, it's fun.
I've been making a lot of playlists lately and sequencing is high on my radar. As I listen to Falling Down, the band's debut album, the way they pull everything together stands out. Dauber definitely has their own style, but they cover a lot of ground on this LP. I'll loosely categorize them as sloppy, poppy punk. The kind that Recess Records is kinda known for.
But that's a generalization. There's a lot more going on here from indie-punk, to alt-rock elements to your classic 1-2-3-4 pop-punk. All from a power trio.
Opener "Falling Down" contrasts fuzzy guitars with group harmonies, "No Use For A Pig" may be the most radio friendly police abolitionist song I've ever heard. "Metal Rectangle" gives it a run for its money in catchiness, though this song is a traditional love song. "Screaming At Orion" is a jangly number that throws in some surprisingly effective sound effects. I think "Sweet Tooth" highlights the band's sensibilities well: a swaying, rhythmic jam with some stoner pop vibes. In between all of these you'll find a lot of punk and garage influence that really set the tone. It all feels urgent and relatable -- I can almost smell the sweaty basements and hole-in-the-wall venues as I listen.
