Alt.rock’s star-in-waiting De’Wayne goes bigger and better on third album.
If confidence is a currency, then De’Wayne is a rich man. It’s not just the way he delivers his songs, with a swagger you either possess or you don’t. Or the enviable elasticity of his voice. Or even the uninhibited physicality of his live performances. Third album, june, effortlessly perfects a sound he built up to on its predecessors, 2021’s Stains and 2022’s My Favorite Blue Jeans.
While both of those efforts were excellent, there was still room for improvement. Stains could have done with its melting pot of musical styles being a tad hotter, while My Favorite Blue Jeans had a couple of tunes that were more forgettable than others. We’re happy to report, then, that june corrects both shortcomings with class.
From the moment lady lady struts in, its riff simple but effective, De’Wayne has got you. The title-track, meanwhile, is clearly enamoured with the ’80s, its synthy bassline and electric drums adding to the atmosphere, before the arrival of chorus that, bizarrely, recalls Keep On Movin’ by recently reunited British popsters 5ive.
On previous records, there were moments when the music could be on the overwrought side, negatively impacting the compositions or distracting from the potency of the message. Thankfully, there’s none of that here – everything feels fluid and perfectly in balance, which is a good thing because sundays, a powerful exploration of the complications in a father-son dynamic, isn’t something you’d want stomped on; musically, it’s worth noting that it’s a treat for fans of The Gaslight Anthem and Bruce Springsteen.
That being said, if there’s one thing to pull june up on, it’s that the rawer, more rocking moments aren’t as bountiful as they once were. They’re still there, mind, on the likes of highway robbery and prize fight, but elsewhere they’re embellished with a flamboyance that softens their edges. It’s no surprise things have changed, as De’Wayne has described this record as an “evolution… not just as an artist, but as a human being.”
As evolutions go, it’s an interesting one – never obvious, but energising, positive and innovative.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: Waterparks, Machine Gun Kelly, twenty one pilots
june is released on July 30 via Fearless
