Danger Is My Middle Name - Giant Killer EP
Record Label - Unsigned
Release Date: August 10th, 2010
Everybody has that loose relation with somebody or something. ‘I’m sixth cousins with Ben Franklin! No, honestly!.’ ‘My step-cousin took a picture with the guy that built the first Arby’s. I know, right?!’ This is exactly how I am with the band Danger Is My Middle Name. My best friend’s brother-in-law’s best friend’s brother is the singer. Beat that. It’s a sick brag, I’m aware, but it’s not the reason I’m doing this review.
Two EP’s in, and Danger Is My Middle Name was doing their best to survive in a diluted genre. Were they original? By no means, but they were better than a good amount of bands doing the exact same thing. Their first two EP’s were very well written and did their best to break away from the ever-drying cement of pop-punk. Rumors of a breakup began to surface soon after announcing a third EP, however, and it seemed it never would see the light of day. Those rumors were soon falsified, and all the ‘was’s’ turned back to ‘is’s,’ and the ‘were’s’ to ‘are’s.’
I won’t lie, though; after one listen, my first few thoughts of this EP were less than stellar. This album had everything that…well, every other mediocre pop-punk album in the last few years has had. Whether it’s the gang vocals, cheeseball lyrics, or simple and repetitive musical progressions, this album does very well at not standing out.
The album’s opener, ‘Armed And Dangerous’ starts out with a guitar riff that we’re all sure we’ve heard before we just can’t remember where. Speaking metaphorically about singer Gabe Atkins as something, you guessed it, armed and dangerous (probably a time bomb, original), this song fades quickly into the background. ‘Here we go, again/here we go, baby. I don’t need a friend/I need an enemy,’ Atkins croons at the end of the second chorus of the second song ‘Here We Go,’ continuing the lyrical regression many fans (myself included) never hoped would affect this band.
Don’t let major lack of substance turn you away from a fun angst-y summer EP, though; I never do. While none of these songs may make you question your existence here, they will possibly stir up frustrating thoughts about your girlfriend for dancing a little too close to some other guy, or your parents for unnecessarily grounding you (if either of those scenarios apply) while you drive down I-___ (insert freeway here) singing along to every word.
There’s a very good chance this EP doesn’t hold the attention of its listeners far past this summer. It does nothing to set itself apart, the way its two predecessors did, so dance and party to it while you remember it exists. I still have hope in the group, though, and I’m doing what I can to convince myself this is just a small misstep in a career that doesn’t even have a full-length in it yet. All in all, a giant killer Giant Killer is not, but Danger Is My Middle Name can still do some damage.
"My best friend’s brother-in-law’s best friend’s brother is the singer. Beat that. It’s a sick brag,"
I assuming this is a joke.
Love these boys. had a chance to hang out with them in NYC when they played with a bunch of my friends. I haven't gotten a chance to listen to the new stuff but I'm going to now.
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