Dana Buoy - Sun Cycle -- DC9 - Aug 12 2014

Sun Cycle - What I thought was going to be a nice little set of neo-psychedelic jams, slowly evolved into a more profound set of ethereal music. This local trio has some serious skills behind the jams, as well as some song structure that varies things up a bit over their 42 minute set. They remind me a lot of Motorpsycho in that regard, something that is not at all easy to do. The drum beats are interesting and have some jazziness and swing mixed into the rock forms. She can also sing while keeping a good beat, which is also impressive. The guitarist also sings while creating wave after wave of washed out psychedelic noise. The basslines occasionally stand out in magical ways, as it is fascinating to see how each instrument can subtly lead within the structure, focusing the listener's attention without stepping forward to do an obvious solo. This is a fairly new band that should be able to make a big name for themselves in our scene.

Dana Buoy - Although Dana Janssen may be primarily known as the drummer for Akron/Family, any fan will know that he has plenty of instrumental skills on guitar and more along with fine vocals that work their way into the great A/F music. Tonight, he focuses on guitar and vocals with a tight band behind him featuring a drummer and a bass player who also switches to keyboards. He has plenty of quirky rock songs with a touch of pop and loads of personality, that is of no surprise to me. One way he makes these songs so fun is the way he wraps his voice around the melody using a side range, while maintaining warmth. The guitar work also has some oddball moves that sound natural and almost expected. His band is solid and the set is crafted well to get heavier as it goes on as these guys can hit some thick high points along the way. Yet there are always twists and turns to keep things fresh and invigorating. His band mates all live in different parts of the country, so there is room for additional work in between Akron/Family projects. It is a pleasure that this project has yielded such positive results.

Quote of the Night - After a strong ovation from a heavy cut, the bass player chipped in... "They like to rock, Dana, they like to rock."