Dan Melchior und Das Menace – Thankyou Very Much
In a world in which attention spans are dwindling, something must be said of the independent prolific artist. For mainstream musicians, the ability to frequently produce material is coveted, but also expected. In recent years, where lines between indie and pop are becoming increasingly blurred, and trendy authorities such as Pitchfork place such an emphasis on the now, that same pressure extends to “the little guy” – whoever the hell that may be anymore. Moreover, the accessibility of a wide range of music means that listeners are less discriminate about what they listen to. This is absolutely a positive development in some respects, but what about the exceptionally gifted, driven, or passionate? Is their music heard with the same value or reverence as the hard to find vinyl from 1969?
London-based Dan Melchior has been making a name for himself through an extensive output of material – he’s released more than 30 recordings with multiple bands since the mid-90′s and notably, fans will attest, he rarely misfires. His latest project entitled Thankyou Very Much with his NC-based group Dan Melchior und das Menace, uniquely finds inspiration in the surrealist dreamworld of psychedelic guru Syd Barrett. On paper, Melchior’s approach, to combine elements of absurdist nursery rhymes with cynical and snarky punk rock, is not unlike what Robyn Hitchcock had done years prior. But where Hitchcock tended towards a more controlled production effect, Melchior sounds, refreshingly, like he’s been camping out in the garage for a while.
With the immediacy offered in the information age, style is often positioned firmly ahead of substance, and while aesthetics are a huge appeal in Melchior’s music (there will always be an audience for neo-psychedelic Barrett emulaters), his lyrical content puts him ahead of the pack. The disillusioned listener will find much cause for excitement when Melchior condemns “all these painters that don’t paint any pictures” and “all these musicians that don’t write any songs.” Coupled with his incredible work ethic, these words are especially scathing, as they call into question modern art scenes that are more concerned with projecting an image than doing something groundbreaking.
Melchior may not have the influence of an indie icon, but he’s of the most refreshing breed – a hard-working independent artist with ideas to spare.
