Members of AFI and No Doubt team up to form supergroup Dreamcar and release an 80’s-inspired self-titled album.
Davey Havok’s vocals are unmistakable throughout the entire album, serving as a constant reminder of the AFI influence. “After I Confess” feels very much like AFI-lite, with a bit of a theatrical and almost creepy sound. As soon as “Kill for Candy” comes on, there’s an undeniable 80’s influence that starts coursing through the album. Now, confession time, I’ve never seen Rocky Horror Picture Show, but goddamn, if the verses in “On The Charts” don’t sound like they belong in it, then I probably have to go back and watch RHPS because I have no idea what it’s like. By the end of “The Preferred,” I’m sure everyone will be dancing. It’s got this groove right from the get-go that’ll have your shoulders moving, whether you want to or not, a weird sort of addiction. Similarly, I love the way the guitar, drums, bass, and synths all work off each other in “Slip On The Moon.” I think the biggest fault this album has is with it’s final song, “Show Me Mercy.” From Davey Havok, a lyricist known for using intricate metaphors, lyrics that primarily constitute “oh”s and “show me mercy” repeated, I feel this song is really lacking and Havok maybe didn’t push himself as hard as a writer for this track. In the end, a good amount of the album reminds me of a toned-down AFI that got lost in the 80s.
Overall: Dreamcar is an 80s pop rock dance album that’ll get you lost, dancing in nostalgia.
8.5/10
Review by Shane Haley
Crown Times Music 