Tag Archives: Dum Dum Girls

Dum Dum Girls-End Of Daze (EP.)

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“I get so frightened. No one else seems frightened, only me.”

I have typed this over and over, hoping I could start it and go into something that makes sense. It didn’t work, so I downed some Jameson whiskey and I feel human again. Before I really get into this, if you aren’t aware of my love/admiration/respect for Dum Dum Girls then you may not understand anything I am about to write. Thing is, I don’t understand half of what I write. Out of sheer love for Dee Dee, Sandy, Jules and Malia- I am going to do my best get this to make sense. I make no promises.

There are so many things right about this EP. I have one problem- it’s an EP, not a full record. I want more and more. That’s just me being a greedy fan. I’ve got past that though, I can fully see how much we need End Of Daze, as an EP- not a record.

My love for Dum Dum Girls started a few years ago. Catholicked was the song I heard. “These sins are my own.” I heard that line and knew immediately I had found a band that would just mean more to me than anything else. Songs such as Rest Of Our Lives to Coming Down mean more to me than I can put into words. I stand by that their cover of Oh Those Eyes by The Vagrants is the best cover ever. I’m meddling in the past here aren’t I. I should tell you about End Of Daze.

You’ve heard Lord Knows already, right? Waiting for the video? Me too, but it will be worth the wait. Anything DDG do has always proven to be worth the wait. When a band can grip your attention and leave you always wanting more- that’s when you know you have found a band that are going to be your lifeline. What I adore about End Of Daze, is that from the very start you know it is going to be one of the most pure and beautiful things you will hear all year. I said before I heard it that End Of Daze would be the best EP of the year. Now, I am rarely right- but I am right with this. I can just feel it.

I cannot help but listen to the EP with a massive smile on my face. I don’t want to be THAT person, but a couple of months ago I put on Twitter something like “Wouldn’t it be cool if Dum Dum Girls covered Just Like Honey.” Dee Dee asked me to email her..who has their VERY own cover of Just Like Honey? I DO. I could reel off my favourite things that have happened this year, and that would be my number 1, for sure. It is something that I cannot put into words. Honestly one of the best and beautiful things anyone has ever done..I’ll never understand why Dee Dee did it, but I’m forever grateful.

The EP opens with Mine Tonight. If you’re like me and you pay very close attention to lyrics, you will probably see yourself in the lyrics. This pretty much goes for every song on the EP. There’s hurt, pain, death, love and loss surrounding End Of Daze. Yet the last track on the EP, Season In Hell feels like Dee Dee is telling you everything bad that has gone on, all those ugly feelings you posses so well- let it go, let it all go. It is over. End Of Daze feels like a healing process and is vulnerable. It is truly perfect and a joy to listen to.

Trees And Flowers is a stunning cover. I’m talking, “stops you in your tracks” kind of stunning you know? The lyrics seem much more  frail and open when Dee Dee sings them. For those who feel like their mind is a prison, you may enjoy this one more than most. I get it, I truly do. We all find our own way out in the end. It is okay to be scared. I guess you’re never alone, even if you feel like you are.

Something I truly adore about Dee Dee is how honest she is with her lyrics. When your art is your life, you can’t afford to be someone else can you? Sure a good writer puts themselves in other people’s shoes. But to allow yourself to be so open and exposed- that takes guts, heart and strength. A trait that I fully support, and wish more did.

One of my favourite lines from the whole EP comes from Season In Hell, “A confession’s not a cure. There’s always darkness to endure, on a path to be redeemed.” You truly pick up life lessons from a Dum Dum Girls song, End Of Daze is full of them.

I could quite happily sit here and right a thousand more words as to why I think it is the most beautiful thing I have heard all year. However, you can stream it here, a week before it is released : http://stereogum.com/1154362/stream-dum-dum-girls-end-of-daze-ep-stereogum-premiere/album-stream/

It is dark, it is comforting, it is pure and it is accurate. It is everything you want from a band that you love and more. I knew my mind was going to be blown, I just didn’t expect it to be as wonderful as this. Dee Dee, Sandy, Malia, Jules- Thank you xx

“Your eyes consume me, they always have. Before you knew me, I dreamed of them.”

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The music can do the talking, and I will loathe myself for doing this. Anyway.

This is for the eyes and ears of one. One that will more than likely not see this, and if they do..they may not get that it is for them. At least there is always the “delete” option. That’ll happen, that I know. Tame your honesty. Use other people’s words. Gentle…gentle.

“When I die, when I disappear. Leave my bones behind.”

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They’ll bring up your mistakes and make you out to be a on a par with vicious people. That’s what they do. Who are THEY? They can be enemies, friends, families or just wretched fuckers who cannot control themselves. Control. Control. What a broad thing it is, what a pain it is. Self-control is something everyone wants. They want to know what they’re doing, they want to have a grip on it. I;ve accepted I’ll never know what’s going on. I press play, stick my headphones in and hope my favourite song gives me answers. Or hope. Or something. Pray, beg, cry out for a punch in the face because physical pain is easier to deal with than the torment you drag yourself through. I don’t listen to myself, and maybe that’s a bad thing. But if you can make sense of this, then you’re better than I am. A song doesn’t always have to give you the answers though. Sometimes a person can just make you realise that maybe…just maybe, you’re not so bad after all. You love this person with all you have, and more. You’d try to tell them but you’d just sound a bit daft. But you live in hope that they know, and one day realise this. But until then, you listen to songs to send you off into a dream.

Don’t come down from that cloud. Keep your head in them, because the come-down is such a drag. It’s all a drag. But there’s something morbidly euphoric about feeling so low, really low and knowing you can never sink that far down again. I don’t know if I’ve ever hit rock bottom. I think if I did, I wouldn’t tell anyone. There’s only so much ugliness one can show another, right? We hide beauty because we think we’re not good enough. A person can be so perfect for you, but they will claim otherwise. I don’t know how this works. Or maybe I do, and I just don’t want to expand on it.

You see, this euphoric state we all long to be in can be found anywhere. There’s one person that you wish you could look at right now, and feel that way- right? Of course. There’s a song that takes you there. It’s not a lullaby, you don’t want to be swayed until you fall into a wonderful slumber. You want something to hurl you into a different world. Do you want to take someone with you? Everything feels super cosmic and you cannot be touched. The eyes are more powerful than the hands. You can fake a hug, but not a gaze. I fail at staring competitions because I always want to laugh. I want to laugh at everything. Mainly because crying gives me a headache.

Anyway, something can put you on a permanent or temporary high. Some of the best music made gives you that high. No, you don’t need to be off your face on something to feel it. You’ve just got to open your soul and expand your mind. Free yourself, and don’t let a person tell you that you’re worth nothing. Know your own worth, and if you can’t do that- someone will show you.

With love comes kindness. With kindness comes patience. With patience comes anything you wish. Wait.

“It’s not worth saving, when you say wait.”

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Longing VS wanting. Innocence VS not really knowing. Caring VS not caring. Life VS death. Love VS stupidty. In the long run, it is probably all the same thing. You wish to burn out what you see in your mind. You wish you could see certain things forever. You wish you did one thing differently, at one point. You wish you were more eloquent with your words. You wish you wrote THAT song so you could play them it; so they get it. Will they ever get it? Does anyone ever really understand? Are we just killing time by explaining. These are the thoughts I am not paid to write down. I’ve never been paid for this. I don’t expect to. They want you to be like them. Dress like that, talk like this. Walk as if you don’t care, behave like an obnoxious fool. Keep me indoors please.

You slip away from reality sometimes. You lose tough. With yourself and others. Maybe you only talk to 2 or 3 people everyday. But they are the ones that you love so much. Maybe one of them you love more than most, because this person owns your heart. This person is on your mind, constantly. Or maybe it just isn’t like that. Maybe you have no idea. Sometimes you think you cannot get lower or higher than your current state. I don’t think this makes sense, because I don’t want it to.

As you get older you learn to cast away your wants, your needs and your desires. You learn that none of it matters. You see everything around you become so typical and bland. You notice you have no plans. You don’t want what they want. You don’t want a 9-5 lifestyle where you do the same thing every day. You still want freedom burning inside of you. The only burning they have is heart-burn. They are typical, and you cannot relate. You know of no one else who feels the same. You think you are wrong, for about 5 minutes. Then you realise that being different is not a bad thing. It is never a bad thing. They may mock your thoughts and how you view the world. But it gets you through.

Trust your heart- not theirs. If you must, spit blood upon those who tell you that you are wrong.

Nothing and no one is worth the torment.

It’s like I am teaching myself all the things I wish I knew sooner. But I just can’t listen to myself.

Dum Dum Girls- Lord Knows.

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“I can’t hurt you anymore.”

Basically, Dee Dee could sing the phone book and I’d regard it as the best thing ever. I love her voice, I love her lyrics and I think she is just incredible (anyone who covers a song by The Jesus And Mary Chain song just for me is a beautiful human being in my eyes.)

What I love about Dum Dum Girls is that they make music that compares to nothing and no one else. You hear something all too often and you think, “Oh that sounds like…” With Dum Dum Girls, you don’t get that. Well, I don’t. I’m pretty sure their loyal fans feel the same way. I remember hearing Catholicked and being in awe. Then came Jail La La and I knew. I just knew I had found the band to sum up every feeling. Only In Dreams was pretty much my soundtrack to last year. Coming Down got me through everything from the days where I hated everything to my mum getting sick. The whole record just oozed out everything I felt, and more. I suppose most who find a record to do this, they never go back to it. I still play it everyday. Coming Down is my crutch. I think I’m heading that way with Lord Knows.

I heard Lord Knows the other day when Dee Dee did a solo set for KEXP, but my internet connection decided it didn’t want me to hear it properly, so I thought “Alright..September it is..I can wait.” NO. I’m not waiting.

Lord Knows is vulnerable and perfect. For those who feel like they are always hurting those they love; this is your anthem, your prayer. I constantly feel like I’m fucking up so this song is like a blessing right now. I honestly cannot write about Dum Dum Girls without getting really into it, without being 100% personal. I can think of 1 or 2 I want to play this to and say, “This is all of it. I’m sorry.” But they’d say I don’t need to say sorry. No point in apologising if you haven’t done anything wrong I guess.

Lord Knows, if I wasn’t about to head out to the gym after writing this, would make me cry my heart out. Maybe I’ll do that later, or maybe I’ll cling onto knowing someone can sum up all this and much better than I ever can. Maybe things come to you when you need it most, this song definitely does that.

The lyrics to Lord Knows are just perfect and so honest. Dee Dee writes like no other. She gets right to the heart of it, and makes you feel less alone. To posses such beauty in words is something I really admire about her. She deserves a lot more recognition as a songwriter.

Basically, Lord Knows is out of this world. End Of Daze is out 25th September, and it’s the best EP of the year. I’ve not heard it, but I just know. I know.

Dum Dum Girls; thank you. Just..thank you xx

You can listen to the song here : http://wearedumdumgirls.com/

“Crash and burn, all the stars explode tonight. How’d you get so desperate? How’d you stay alive?”

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“Get well soon, please don’t go any higher
How are you so burnt when you’re  barely on fire?”

They say you’ve got to hit rock bottom in order to be a better person. What if you weren’t shit to start with? What if you thought you were okay, but fucks spat down judgment on you..leading you to believe you are actually a really shit person? What do you do? What about when you hide everything in order to keep a sense of normality, so you don’t fully lose it? What if you cannot get the words out, and all you can do is tell anyone who shows a hint of caring that you’re totally okay. What happens when they place you are currently “living” in has killed all the good in you? What if…what if…Fucks sake. It’s all so bloody stupid isn’t it. When you think about it, you’re just some stupid fool with no direction. Because all the directions you took have led you nowhere. Nowhere can be your bedroom at 4am hating your own skin. Nowhere can be sat on a bench waiting for something slightly interesting to happen. Nowhere can be in the eyes of the one you love. Nowhere and nothing go hand in hand. There’s a song for everything, for everyone. Those thoughts you have; well, someone else had the same ones and probably wrote a song about it all. You’ll return to your “normal” self eventually, you just have to work out what that is. I should take my own advice. But my own advice is for anyone and everyone but me. I have no problem writing like this because I know nobody will read it. Once it leaves my brain and ends up on the screen, it is no longer mine. Nothing is mine, no one is mine. I own nothing. Even my Docs are coming apart. My favourite band shirt has a hole in it. As you sink further and further, what song will you play as you fall? What song will pull you back up? I’ll never read this again, which is why none of this will make sense. I rarely re-read what I write here. Mainly because I know it doesn’t make sense. I don’t like organisation. I don’t like things making sense. I don’t like knowing some things. Uncertainty for me, is a good thing. Self-doubt for me, is a good thing.

But every fucking word I’ve written, every word I have ever said has been said by someone else. And they did it better. I can only say I’m sorry, but I’ll keep doing it. And for that, I am also sorry.

“We hide out in the back,like shadows in a stranger’s dream.”

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I have no direction in life. I know what I want, but the realist (or cynic) in me knows I’ll never get there. If I do, I’ll welcome the surprise and probably buy a bottle of Ribena to celebrate. If I expect nothing; I’m not left disappointed. They say this makes for a lonely existence. Maybe for them it does, but not for me. You can be alone even when surrounded by people who apparently like you. It’s hard to like people isn’t it. I used to think “oh everyone is lovely la la la.” It’s not the case. You grow up and you see what people are capable of. I’m not perfect. I’ve probably done more harm than good. But I’m not going to beg for forgiveness and waste my life doing things people approve of. I don’t understand people who need to seek the approval of others in order to be whole. I don’t get why you’d want to dumb yourself down to fit in. I don’t get a lot, it seems. Thing is, self-doubt carries me through. I spent an afternoon the other day at the beach, on my own. These thoughts came into my mind and poured out into the songs I was listening to. We all have bad days, we all have good days. My bad day was enough to make me think, “Is this rock bottom?” It wasn’t. I’ve not hit there in a long time. I put up a fight with myself to make sure I never feel so shit again. I can write this so freely and not care for it. I’ll write this and never look at it again. I never look back on what I have written. Whether it be the nonsense I put here, my songs or my poems. I never look back at them. I don’t know why. Maybe I just think as soon as it leaves me, I don’t need to bother with it. Maybe one day I’ll look back and be proud. As I stood looking at the sea last week, I felt at peace. I also felt like shit. But the wave of peace that came over me was something I’ve not really felt before. I stared blasting Coming Down by Dum Dum Girls in my ears. I felt a connection to that song I had never felt before.

Very early Friday morning..Dee Dee Penny from the band had emailed me her over of Just Like Honey by The Jesus And Mary Chain that she recorded just for me. Quite frankly, it is the best thing I had been given. The tears of the day before were quickly taken over with happy tears. I’m not someone who cries a lot. I’m too sensitive, but I can stop myself. You shouldn’t be afraid to feel. You shouldn’t be scared of the bad days. You shouldn’t throw away the good days. We seem to be afraid to feel. To feel like shit, to love and to feel hurt. It all ties in, but you cannot ignore one side. You just can’t.

The more you hide from something; the worse it’ll be when it comes back around. Luckily, no one I am really close to will read this so I can just let all this out. Like I said earlier, self-doubt isn’t a bad thing. If I ever thought I was good at something; I wouldn’t try. If I thought I was even a decent writer, I’d stop. I’d rather be told “you write really well” rather than “you’ve got a good face.” I don’t believe any of these things, not because I want attention. If I wanted attention I’d get drunk and shout something from my bedroom window. Keep me in the background, part of the furniture. Let someone else shine. Let them over-take. I’m okay with moving slow and doing what I want rather than doing everything rushed and missing out the details. I’ll never be the love of someone’s life. I’ll never be able to play the drums. But I will do a Bob Dylan impression after a few glasses of whiskey if I feel it needs to be done. I found life lessons in the songs I played. I’ve never felt at home anywhere, maybe I’m one of those people who never is at home anywhere. I don’t like routine or structure. I don’t like plans. Everything around you can be beautiful, find an escape route. Or be the escape route. Maybe fate is something that doesn’t exist. The lack of control we have isn’t always a bad thing. I don’t get why you’d always want to be in control of everything. If it is unknown, keep it that way.

I live in a very judgmental place and I cannot wait to leave again. To leave for good. I left one place I hated for good. I’ll never go back. Leaving is easy when you let no one tell you what to do. Advice is alright, but you shouldn’t always do what is right for you. Put your OWN happiness first. Put yourself first. Don’t let anyone sway your heart. Go the beach, and listen to the songs that give you courage.

Here’s mine:

Dum Dum Girls-FD Acoustic Session.

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Whilst I was waiting for my (delayed) flight home this afternoon, I was stood in line feeling sorry for myself as I was feeling a bit delicate (hungover, or so I thought- turns out I’ve got a cold which is hurting every part of me!) so I played Dum Dum Girls. I felt like Dee Dee’s gentle voice was nursing me through my wait and ill state. I had them on repeat, and started to perk up a little bit. I also napped on my flight. It’s better than staying awake and looking out the window thinking “OH SHIT!” as you look down. Besides, I like being asleep. I can’t bother anyone and no one can bother me..sometimes.

They did a little acoustic session recently in France and honestly, I don’t think any words can justify how beautiful the performance is. Dee Dee, in my eyes, is THE most underrated singer around. More people need to know and love Dum Dum Girls. They’re just a stunning band that have songs that will break your heart, fix your heart and make you dance. Since falling in love with them in 2009 they have kept me sane when I thought I was going to lose my shit. I have no idea what I would’ve done without last year’s Only In Dreams. Coming Down will always be a crutch to me. Hold Your Hand breaks my heart, to not be moved by this song well- you may be heartless.

“Shake your head, it’s empty.”

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Wants and needs cloud your judgement. It’s easier to ignore them both so you can carry on. And carry on you will. This is the hangover talking. Not in a physical sense, that passed at half 10 this morning when I stood in the shower playing Explode by Uh Huh Her about 5 times until I felt like a person again. Things go wrong very quickly, you try to be cautious. You do what is right. You leave things behind so you can move forward. The things you never faced smack you right in the face when you have brief moments on your own. I’m trying to distance myself from this because some things, well..you’ve got to never tell so you stay sane. So what happens? Lose.Your.Shit. Lose your mind if you want. Nobody is strong all the time. Nobody is always weak. You can find strength in the things you think are killing you, metaphorically. You hold everything back. And for what reason? You’ve got your reasons. You try to let it out, but for some reason- it just won’t come out. Not because you’re biting your tongue constantly, but..the words. The words are not there. So you find a sense of peace and become calm in the midst of hearing THAT certain part in a song that you love. The song that cradles you. The song that nurses you. Like a whisper in your ear, “It’s going to be okay.” It will be okay.

One day I will take on board what I have just typed up. Until then, I’ll remain a hypocrite, or maybe just one of life’s lost causes plodding their way through. Knowing that nothing is secure, or forever. Time is just a way of limiting yourself. I never wear a watch. Lose yourself to something positive than give yourself up to something destructive. This is why I don’t show my poetry or songs to anyone. It goes deeper than the paragraph above, and I’m ashamed of it.

So, with this utter nonsense out of the way- there are songs. There are always songs. Songs that will drag you through because you just don’t want to think about how you’d word it. Wants and needs. You want a person, but do you need them? Anyone who says they don’t need anyone is lying. Even if it’s just one person, you cannot deny that you need them. It doesn’t have to be in a romantic way. A relative, a close chum- you need them. You want them around. You think you’re going to lose them at times. You think you’re about to because the Universe is a fucking BITCH. Solace is found in music. Shut it all off and fall into the music. It’s the only way you know how. And maybe…just maybe we are all struggling to get to the same thing in life. So, please be kind to everyone. Be respectful and tolerant. Walk gently through life and do everything with heart. Speak up. Be strong, be weak. Be yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7lQFdvDDZA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpoLPrYOJcg

Dum Dum Girls-Coming Down (video.)

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Only In Dreams was one of the best things to have happened last year. An underrated album that holds more value in my heart than I can put into words.

I’ve written about the song Coming Down a few times, mainly because I just feel so much towards it. A lot of love. A hell of a lot of love for that song. The lyrics hit me right in the gut when I first heard it. I felt like part of what I was feeling/thinking was being sung by Dee Dee and I just cried. Watching the video just made me bawl a little bit. Maybe it’s because I’m stupidly tired and its caused me to cry. I have no idea. Or maybe, the song and the sheer beauty of this video, shot in black and white, just really struck a chord. I don’t need to write anymore about this song, it’s obvious how I feel about it. However, I must say that Dee Dee Penny is probably my dream girl.