Can't Stop The Daggers - January One

Hear The Track Here

Second time around this month for Jon Partelow. Earlier I reviewed his collaboration with The Dead Company and here he is with his regular band, Can't Stop The Daggers. For those people who suffer a permanent disconnect, Can't Stop The Daggers are the best thing this reviewer has heard on Soundclick in quite a while. With a string of Must Have's, Tracks Of The Year yadda yadda you would think that they would GET THE DAMN ALBUM OUT :) Seriously, I think I've probably reviewed most of it by now but pretty much all of it in rough mix form and I can't wait to hear the final thing. The reason, pure and simple, is that Can't Stop The Daggers are my kind of band. Definitely alternative but with influences stretching from here to Mars.

Besides Jon, Chris Chattom, Emily Shahlick and Lionel Luchessi make up the CSTD entity but they are joined on January One by Melanie Yarger and Carrie Caruso (from Urban Quartet) on strings. What they come up with is exactly the proof I need to carry on my crusade to make this band more famous than God (Ed: damn it Gilmore, you can't SAY that!). January One is a blast of fresh air, a bucket of ice cold water in the face even. Guaranteed that it will wake you up; songwriting of this standard usually does that. It's always been a trademark of this band to come up with the goods, both lyrically and musically and I have to say that January One is right up there with their best.

I know that I have a bad case of it with this band but they make it so easy. What's not to love about a classic song, in an arrangement that breathes confidence and style, produced to bring out all the little nuances happening? Come on, tell me I'm wrong. In my opinion, ever since Can't Stop The Daggers appeared on my screen (and thusly to my earholes) they haven't put a foot wrong; great songs - if a little unfinished in places. Whatever, if you like pop like (say) Smashing Pumpkins or even - at a stretch - Howard Jones, this track will have you dancing in the aisles. No doubt that THE event of this year will be the release of their long awaited debut album - and don't forget you read it here first.

MUST HAVE Alternative pop.