Dallas Orbiter’s – Spaceman Things
There was a time, in the late 90s, early 2000s when music seemed to have inherited that ELO melancholy with the melodic uplift. Mixed it with some American College radio and arrived smack bang in the middle of a group of albums that I loved.
I may be wrong in this but this album fits somewhere in there. The Sparklehorse meets Grandaddy says hello to Fountains of Wayne and waves at Frank Black on the way back to shake hands with Grandaddy again.
And that ain’t no bad thing.
Not at all.
“I can hear your thoughts and I’m mortified.
I can hear your thoughts and I’m scandalised.” – Into Position
Have I ever mentioned? I Fucking well love Grandaddy.
The first time I heard Dallas Orbiter was the single, “To The Breakdown” which had been paired with “This Array” on a Bandcamp single and I was just taken with it. Especially, “This Array” – the sharpness of the guitars and the resigned vocal style that still has that fight left in it.
I’ll be honest I’m was really taken with, This Array” – on listening to the album I’ve heard more things in there that I enjoy. The synth vibes of Talk Talk jump out to me, as does Brain Eno’s “Here Come the Warm Jets”. The sharp elbowed lead guitar playing and the buzzing synths really work together well with the rhythm section to push and pull the really well crafted songwriting.
“Into Position” – with it’s dueling synths syncopated drums punctuated by powerchords and the fleeting one line riffs. It’s feels like a mantra almost, getting you ready for what comes next.
“Hell’s Bells I’m falling through…”
– To The Breakdown
“To The Breakdown” has this angular guitar intro start that lands you square bang into a totally unexpected 80s synth track. It pulses but it’s always straining, ready to pounce and when it does it hits something, almost. It’s ambitious and it almost gets there, there’s a glory in the attempt and I love it for that. And then those synths hit and then the guitars and oh my. Lovely stuff.
“I’m dedicated to this array…bring on the train wrecks”
– This Array
I mean, I could blah blah blather on about all the songs on here but if I’m honest I’d lose patience with myself.
Everything is a choice in this music and they make the right choices. There’s honesty too and warmth.
I’m going to shut up.
If you like Television, Frank Black, Grandaddy, Sparklehorse and Ok Computer era Radiohead this is for you.
If you like none of those things Mick Hucknell is over there by the beefburgers…
My personal highlights.
“This Array”
“To The Breakdown”
“The Fragile Epigram”
“Fade Aaway, Just Begun
If you have time, give it a listen.
But hey don’t just take it from me,
Florgoth
I really enjoyed this album! It has the right balance of synth and rock, some very catchy melodies and witty lyrics. Everything feels cohesive, sounds great and has just the right tempo to it. Effects and mix are on point, while still feeling authentic and fun. Highly recommended!
Foxy HxC Macfly
Personally, as someone deeply invested in music production and guided by my own tastes, I’m particularly captivated by the keyboard work on the album. A special shoutout to Jon Schmig for bringing an extra layer of magic to the sound. His contributions elevate the music, adding a unique texture to what is otherwise a classic band lineup of bass, drums, guitar, and vocals.
The formula simply works, there isn’t a single track on this project that feels out of place. Most songs exceed the four-minute mark, yet each one feels perfectly timed, striking a rare balance that deserves recognition. It’s impressive how consistently this quality is maintained across the entire album. Spaceman Things is a great first introduction to Dallas Orbiter for me, that deserves to be heard. I can only hope these reviews inspire whoever’s reading to give it a listen, because passing it up would mean missing out.
It was not easy to pick a favorite song from this fantastic album, but I keep revisiting “Radiate Atcha,” with its great scene-setting lyrics and sweet balance of instrumental tones.
– Aaron Smith
Dallas Orbiter is a long-running Minneapolis-based rock quartet exploring the cusp between sophisticated pop songwriting and modern, spaced-out psychedelia. The group began with long Krautrock and electric Miles Davis-inspired space jam sessions in the late 90s/early 2000s in the process of refining an ensemble sound. The band released 3 full-length albums and 2 EPs between 2000 & 2008, along with an online-only monthly singles project in 2011. – Website
With many thanks to my fellow Bluesky co-conspirators:
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