Review Summary: Have fun and stop taking your life for granted
Ducking Punches is a solo-project-come-full-band featuring Dan Allen from Norwich. There is a huge DIY scene here as seen in the recent relocation of the amazing independent community pub / small music venue the Owl Sanctuary, where Dan sometimes works behind the bar. This popular venue in Norwich recently had to move due to the owner wanting to change the pub into a car park or flats against a huge petition to keep it a pub, luckily they managed to find a place just down the road which they had to change from an old strip club into a new music venue. It looks amazing and bands making there way in the industry (such as Flood of Red, We are the Ocean, Frank Carter) will be playing there again.
There is a mixture of acoustic and full (five-piece) band songs on 'Fizzy Brain'. Some songs really need the full band sound as could come across slightly boring otherwise. The lyrics are very sad at times with topics such as growing up, loss, death, struggles with mental health however there are plenty of hooks and ironic optimism.
The first track 'Greedy Bones' is probably the highlight of the album featuring label mate and recent touring partner Frank Turner and his band mate who features on a few songs Sophie Porter. Sophie brings some much needed beautiful harmonies to the tracks, similar to what Sarah Hayes does in the Scottish band Admiral Fallow, pitched against Dan's gruff vocals its a nice complimenting blend.
The most personal song here is 'JFH' which is an acoustic track about how Dan lost his close friend to suicide. I watched him support Frank Turner at the Waterfront last year and he cried on stage in front of everyone at the end of this song. I'll always remember that and the passion he showed.
Fizzy Brain took just over and year and half to write, was funded mostly via a pledge campaign and set against the sad lyrics the overall message of the album is to have fun and stop taking your life for granted! Sit back, have a beer and enjoy this brilliant album.
For fans of Frank Turner, Dave McPherson , the Hold Steady and Against Me.
