Dion Read & The Afterthoughts

From The Dwarf:

“Title track Be Here Right Now - if not the whole EP, depending on who might be listening to it- whispers Coldplay, with a tinge of cheer- the kind Chris Martin seems unable to reproduce in his musical endeavours, but abundantly so in his casual persona.

The quirky and charming songwriting of frontman Dion Read is still as ever-present as in The Shoes & Gloves EP. “I’m so in awe of the way you can smile when you haven’t had your coffee” he croons over the band’s piano-based pop stylings on In the City, an endearing modern-day love song (certainly a realistic one.) “I don’t know how you do it but you make the most out of your horrible work clothes” he tells some faceless lover, whom we can only imagine is as effervescent as our protagonist.

Make my Day settles for somewhat more songwriting-by-numbers lyricism but is still airily pleasant. The EP ends with the heartrending Air Balloons, where Dion tells us, “I know that I’ve been a disappointment to all of you, but that’s okay, ‘cause I’m still young and foolish and that’s just what we do” and you believe him because he sounds ever so remorseful.

Dion Read is quickly rising in my top recommendations list, and not just because he’s a top bloke, but also for his original lyricism and ability to foster a sort-of young and upbeat Tim Freedman vibe. Check it out, and try and tell me I’m wrong.”

From Absolute Powerpop:
“Last year, Dion Read & Co. had one of the more promising debuts with their Shoes & Gloves EP. Now the Aussie piano power popper is back with his second EP, and it’s another treat. Since it’s de rigeur to compare piano power poppers to Ben Folds, let me analogize in this fashion: Read’s new EP is to his last one what The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner was to Whatever and Ever Amen. For the Folds-unfamiliar, the new EP is more understated affair than the first, which doesn’t mean it isn’t fine in its own right. The title track is the peppiest of the bunch, while “The Blame” recalls Folds’ “Don’t Change Your Plans” from Messner. And the closer “Air Balloons” is a wonderful ballad that ranks up there with “Smoke” or “The Luckiest”. Don’t let this one be an afterthought.”

You too can look like Nat Bass with your very own Dion Read & The Afterthoughts T-Shirt. Head to the Merchandise page for details.

Or view one by one here.

So yeah, we’ve been quiet around here. But with the launch of a shiny new surface I think the world deserves to know what has been going on beneath the gloss of php and css code.

So, to break it all down:
James went overseas to Canada and came back with a fiancee. Congrats!
Kyle bought a shiny new red car for his shiny DeeJay drums.
Dion finished the last bits of recording and mixed the new EP. Yeah, that’s right lovers and haters, we’ve got some freshhhhh sounds.
Expect the EP to be pressed well in time for our next big gig at Manchester Lane on April 7.

We also played a small show at Veludo back on the 1st of Feb which was a great way to dust off the cobwebs and kick ourselves in the arse to get stuck in to rehearsals again after the Christmas break. I can’t speak for the other guys, but I feel refreshed and raring and generally excited about what’s in front of us in the next few months.

You’ll be hearing more, much more.

Later skaters.

Just a quick thanks to everyone who’s supported us though our first full year of rocking with our bits out. Let’s do it all again but bigger and better than before. You’ll all be getting plenty of Afterthoughts spam in the next few months.
Love to all,
D.