by Jess Makler (unslump.substack.com)
Fans of gentle cynicism and riot grrl sensibility are in for a treat with the second album from Glasgow’s quirky punk outfit Dancer, released on Spanish label Meritorio.
More or Less was inspired by the notion that “everything’s the same, but everything is different”. The theme applies to the band as they welcome new drummer Luke Moran (formerly of Buffet Lunch) to the original lineup of Gemma Fleet, Andrew Doig, and Chris Taylor.
Expect speak-singing, pulsing basslines, and lyrics rooted in feeling, hearkening back to early Big Blood, the stream of consciousness of Life Without Buildings, and the grooving basslines of 125 Rue Montmartre. Dancer sounds like gossip, like winking mischievously, like a bowl of ice cream after a long day.
On a project where every track could be a single, standouts include “Just Say Yes”, a beautifully mixed convergence of shapeshifting guitars and Gemma’s classic snarky vocal. Chris Taylor’s guitar work stands out on “Getting it Wrong Every Time”, perhaps the most brain-expanding track on the album. Chris even designed his own keyboard-guitar contraption, a mainstay of Dancer’s live shows.
Dancer successfully escapes the second album slump, polishing their sound and keeping with the scrappy tongue-in-cheek nature and nostalgia that makes them such a one-of-a-kind group. The album artwork was done by longtime collaborator Scott Jason Smith, and evokes Beavis and Butthead or Daria, cartoons that evoke the same comfort and warmth.