New Reunion band Daily Planet falls directly into the Dave Matthews/Matchbox 20 brand of straightforward, occasionally meandering modern rock on their debut, Hero. That's not a bad thing if it's done well, which it is.
The album's best moments are the upbeat ones. Lead singles "Flying Blind" and "Tangled Web" rock with a Matchbox-esque flair, while "More To Life" and "Five" bring in the funky Dave Matthews sound, except with strings replacing Matthews' signature horns. "Six String Rocketeer" is the best song on the disc. Boasting an instantly memorable chorus and deft guitar work, it speaks of lead singer Jesse Butterworth's parents' divorce and how he found solace in music. Working in clever name checks to the Beatles, Sting, and Billy Joel, among others, the song features some of the best lyrics and musical hooks to be found here.
The relative low points come on the ballads. While string-laden cuts like "3000 Miles Away" and "Questioning the Notion" are decent songs in their own right, they don't fit in with the overall rock vibe of the album.
The only other flaw with this album is that the band tends to keep things too safe. While the lyrics are well-written, they don't break any new thematic ground, preferring to stay in an evangelical, youth-pastor-friendly tone. While Hero is an excellent album taken as it is, it would be nice to see Daily Planet stretch and take a few more risks next time around. These guys are as talented as they come, and it seems their talents are a bit wasted with the tame direction of the album.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Rebel Base 2002Reviewed by David MartinAllow me to introduce the best new rock band of the year 2002: Daily Planet. Perhaps I'm a little biased, since the young quartet was formed while attending Azusa Pacific University here in my native Los Angeles County, but regardless of that and the kabillion comparisons critics have thrown at these guys, something about this new band makes me smile from ear to ear. It's not rocket science -…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Brian A. SmithDaily Planet will satisfy fans of The Waiting, Dave Matthews Band, Matchbox 20, and Kevin Max. "Flying Blind", about total trust in God, and "More to Life" most resemble DMB, with the latter adding a Blues Traveler dimension to Jesse Butterworth's vocals. "Lost and Found" centers on appreciating God through his Creation, and being renewed through that process: I see the paradox With wheat, the…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Josh McConnellReunion Records has done it once again by successfully signing another winning band, the new rock group Daily Planet, which consists of four guys from southern California: Jesse Butterworth, Seth Davis, Danny Lund, and Bobby Reinsch. As soon as you pop Hero into your CD Player and press Play you will never want to hit the Stop button until the album is completely finished (unless you strongly…Similar sounding releases
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