Dash & Will
This blog started on 12 July 206. As part of our 2 year birthday celebrations, we’re making slight changes to the site to make your blogging experience (slightly) more interesting. One of the things that we pride on is to pick new artists for you to watch, earlier than most media. There’s been a few in the past two years, so from now on we are going to focus on our picks a bit more by dedicating their own pages.
Our first pick is Melbourne’s pop singer/songwriting duo Dash & Will. As much as everyone else would disagree, they really do remind me of Canadian Twins Tegan & Sara. Maybe it’s the harmonies or the pop leanings, but I really enjoy their tunes.
I saw them last week headlining the Espy with a full band. It wasn’t the right show for them, 12.45pm was too late, the crowd was boozy and inattentive St. Kilda types, and they had multiple technical problems. They did their best and the potential that I saw was enormous. At a young 18 years old, if they stick this out then I’ve no doubt they’ll have a great career in front of them.
A couple of friends who was at this gig asked me the question, “What do you think is standing between them and large scale success?” The first issue for them, as already raised by commenters of this blog, is that they will have to shake off the Veronicas comparisons. I suppose it’s the major label association and the way that they are marketed, a lot of music fans think if they don’t discover a band the way they like it - via Pitchfork, blogs, myspace profiles, obscure single issue zines, etc - they are being sold. And that somehow affect the originality or authenticity of the songs. If there is any hint of a non-organic build to the act’s name and fame then the vocal minority takes pleasure to be the first to be slinging shit.
Of course it’s not fair to do this, but that is the nature of the business of image. Dash & Will can of course take the road that Tegan & Sara took in doing years of cross country bussing to small time gigs throughout Canada, releasing small time albums before getting big with So Jealous. But why do this if the opportunity of signing to Mercury/Universal is there? Is it worth skipping a streamlined exposure in order to retain indie cred? It’s a different for every artist but in this case I think Dash & Will have made the right decision. The harsh realities of the indie touring band is enought to break the spirits of most musicians, and those too stubborn and elitist to admit this often fade into obscurity.
If it means losing a few elitist music nerds as fans in exchange for an easier - tho not necessarily lucrative - touring life to develop their craft, then Dash & Will is on the right track. I have heard the album and it is full of little pop gems. Pick You Up is definitely not the best song so expect us to post others as they become available. It is not a guilty pleasure for me, I really enjoy these songs and I bet after the comparisons settle down, so would most people. By then I’m sure the girls won’t really give a shit about armchair critics.
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