No Win – Downey
Downey is the first full length release from No Win and its a real winner. No joke.
As soon as you hear the opening guitar crunch of “After Your Legs”, the listener knows he’s in for power pop delight. The catchy chorus and “ohh-ohh’s” pull you in and even the guitar feedback is gorgeous. In that respect, it sorta reminds me of the great Bob Mould led Sugar records.
With “Vision”, Dan Nogueiras gives us the requisite relationship song and fortunately, its anything but rote. “You’re an all seeing, all knowing waste of my time”. Priceless. And it’s not the only lyrical gem. “Carbar” has the unforgettably hooky line “I wonder does your brain do the same things to you that mine does to me?”. Pure gold.
Best of all, these songs are pretty much indicative of the entire album. Not only are they well written and lyrically interesting, they’re chock full ‘o guitar crunch and engaging melodies. And Nogueiras’ vocals hit a sweet spot, too. If power pop is your thing, you’d be crazy not to give this one a listen.
