In front of me lies the second album by DEAD TO ME from San Francisco. Three years after their debut album “Cuban Ballerina“, they present their second album “African Elephants“. An album that has a lot to offer in a certain way. DEAD TO ME break genre boundaries with some of their songs, but according to their own statement, they focus on their roots in punk rock. This is hard to convey to the new listener, as many of the songs come across more in a rock and pop guise rather than truly being punk rock and music of a subculture. No matter how high the ambitions may have been, the production or the band has smoothed out most of the songs too much. It flows along, is quite nice with catchy and also interesting melodies, but nothing sticks. Everything is simply without edges and corners. The music doesn’t hurt or at least doesn’t raise an eyebrow.
With this album, the band can certainly get a lot of radio play and maybe find new fans, but those who understand subculture and punk rock as a certain kind of being different will quickly put this album aside as relatively meaningless. Just like I did.
