Danny Echo

Self-Titled
Danny Echo

I got to know members of Danny Echo quite well at NxNE, so I really wanted to like their self-titled album. All I have to say is thank you for not making a liar out of me. This band from Vancouver plays powerpop rock and they are exceptionally proficient in delivering a sound that’s very easy to get down with. Listen to “Tomorrow Today” and tell me who it reminds you of… If you said Oasis, I’m right there with you. The band’s namesake, the lead singer, has a kind of Noel Gallagher thing going on with his voice and the song very much made me think of “Don’t Look Back in Anger” in terms of its beat and timing. But more than that, the band plays a diverse range of sounds and demonstrates a number of rock influences. The fourth track “Out of Style” played a little too close to pop-punk for me, but the next song “Killing Me” immediately made up for it with a catchy hook and some solid wailing from Echo.

by Adam A. Donaldson - Lucidforge.com

Review of Vancouvers' Danny Echo By Shane Christensen


Upon the initial few seconds of listening to up and coming Vancouver powerpop/alt-rock band Danny Echo, I was immediately struck by the amazing vocal similarities to a young McCartney, or even Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze fame.

And in many respects that should come as no surprise really, as the band unashamedly lists their musical influences from that great era when the classic Brit bands of the day, from the Beatles to the Stones and everything in between, were ruling the musical world.

And you can hear a lot of these influences on the Danny Echo myspace site that contains the five songs from their current E.P., soon to be followed by a full length CD.

My personal favourite is the song Things I Never Had, which includes a killer horn section and a groove that takes the listener back to the Brown Sugar/ Sticky Fingers period when Mick and the boys were at the top of their game. Ah, those were the days.

So if your musical tastes are similar to mine, but you want to hear a fresh and energetic NEW band as opposed to the same old stuff you've been listening to for how long now? Am I really that old?


Oh, and Danny? Great pipes man!!!

- SWANKTRENDZ.COM

It seems that a chance opening slot for Redd Kross last year at Toronto’s famed NXNE festival really left an impression on these formidable upstarts, with the ghosts of the McDonald brothers resonating heavily not only in the vocal stylings of (last name–less) singer-guitarist Danny but also in the five-man musical salvo that is their recent release.
The mid-’90s nod to flower-power pop rock for which the Los Angeles crew was most revered is echoed on tracks like the space-age sock-hop-ballad opener, “Out of Style”, as well as “Killing Me”, with its punctuated keyboard swells and Danny’s soaring falsetto. And then there’s “Close to Home”, which feels like an acid-laced tip of the hat to Redd Kross’s seminal Third Eye LP. But there is more than meets the lysergic eye here, thanks in part to the Britpop bounce of “Given Up Giving Up” and the alt-countrified “Help Yourself”, which marries good-time gospel and the Band.
So this may deserve some repeated spins, at least for those who left the bell-bottoms in the closet but are more than ready for a groovy trip on the dance floor.
- The Georgia Straight

Danny Echo – Danny Echo
Review by Mike Bax

From the ashes of The Ryecatchers comes Danny Echo, a five piece Vancouver based act hell-bent on delivering as big a sound as they possibly can. Fourth track in ‘Given Up Giving Up’ blends in vintage UK Madchester grooves, with Danny channeling his finest Noel Gallagher vocals over the tune. Of the ten songs on the album, each track seems to have it’s own influence, spanning thirty years of rock. British rock, mind you. From The Beatles and the Who through to Radiohead and Oasis, this debut delivers something intersting on multiple tracks.

‘Out Of Style’, ‘Tomorrow Today’ and ‘Help Yourself’ are all big and ambitious songs. And you can add the comic-geek factor to the mix: Danny worked for years with the Special FX crew on Smallville, and tends to add in projectors, smoking guitars, fire extinguishers and smoke machines to enhance the nightly Danny Echo live experience.

With so many up and coming bands trying to sound as big, polished & established as they possibly can, it’s refreshing to hear a debut album from a band that’s already there. We all just haven’t figured it out yet.

www.dannyecho.com - Fazer online magazine

What the World is Saying: A Compendium of Danny Echo Self-Titled CD Reviews


“Yet another local (Vancouver) band that seems to have appeared out of nowhere, Danny Echo has a sense of drama that heightens a well-sung and played record. It also defies labels and eras, owing a little something to the various influences from the 1970s onward, yet defiantly apart. Danny Echo might be an example of the band described by what it isn't. Not punk, post-wave, emo, Britpop etc., but with appealing vocals and instrumentation that develops.”
- Tom Harrison (The Province) “ CD of the Week”

“Danny Echo sounds experienced, appealing, and yet creative and fresh. I am not fibbing when I tell you that this band does not sound new or developing. Danny Echo is a rising star, and Canada will be very proud when they hit the big time. “
- Lauren Eldridge (A ‘n E Vibe Magazine)

“The band kicks things off with some U2 referencing on album opener Out Of Style, with soft atmospherics that give way to unabashed gleeful riffing over subtle, soaring sweeping synthesizers. Killing Me is an inspired, thoroughly enjoyable track with its lifted choruses and supremely headbangable riffs, topped off with a wildly sexy snarl. It’s a combination of John Lennon and Pete Townsend updated for the 21st century, and it works.”

“It’s a testimony to a band’s pop sensibilities when one’s first instinct upon finishing a record is to replay it. It’s an even bigger testimony to their talent when they manage to produce an album that pays off successfully both as a collection of songs and as a whole. In a day and age when most artists are paying more attention to the digital single instead, Danny Echo must be commended for producing a record as consistent and as wholly enjoyable as this one. Wonderfully addictive and thoroughly enjoyable, this is all that powerpop rock n’ roll is meant to be. Highly recommended.”
- Samuel C. Wee (The Power of Pop)

“If there is any hope for someone to stand up and save rock and roll in its truest and purist form, Danny Echo is a strong contender to lead that campaign. If there is any justice in the musical world, 2009 will be the year that the music of Danny Echo bounces back for everyone to hear and enjoy.”
- Bill’s Music Forum

“…Every time I tried to define this record during the first listen, the next song defied my expectations and I had to immediately seek another way to describe it. Let’s try this – a kick ass band that, like liquid, takes the form of whatever position it finds itself in. The beauty of music, and I would argue - the nature of it, is that it can mean many different things to many different people. I dare you to listen to Danny Echo and not find something you love hiding between these 10 songs.”
- Jason Petros (Chicago’s Independent Music Review)

“The mid-’90s nod to flower-power pop rock for which [Redd Kross] was most revered is echoed on tracks like the space-age sock-hop-ballad opener, “Out of Style”, as well as “Killing Me”, with its punctuated keyboard swells and Danny’s soaring falsetto. And then there’s “Close to Home”, which feels like an acid-laced tip of the hat to Redd Kross’s Third Eye LP.”
- Bryce Dunn (The Georgia Straight)



“Marinated in British rock flavour, the kick-off track, ‘Out Of Style’ cooks with crashing guitars amidst swirling ambient noise making it an easy choice for a radio single. It’s smart guitar rock and it immediately sets the tone of the album. It swoops right into the poppy hook of ‘Killing Me’ which borrows its “Hoo! Hoo!” outro from The Rolling Stones’ ‘Sympathy For The Devil’. Things slow down just a notch with the mid-tempo anthem, ‘Tomorrow Today’ which…chimes brightly with a sugary- sweet electric 12-string guitar riff and an epic sing-along chorus. The dark, moody, rhythmic bliss of ‘Given Up Giving Up’ may very well be the highlight of the album. It echoes The Stone Roses at their peak sounding vaguely reminiscent of ‘I Wanna Be Adored’.”
- Patrick Jacobson (BC Musician Magazine)


“Danny Echo is a rocking act from Vancouver with a big sound and big hooks. They have some Oasis swagger and some Cheap Trick bravado that makes for a promising sound. Standout tracks include the Noel Gallagher-like ballad "Tomorrow Today", opener "Out of Style"…and the Brendan Bensonesque "Help Yourself.”
- Absolute PowerPop

"Out Of Style" and "Killing Me" are strong and slick productions that would be well suited for a big arena. Danny delivers the rock and roll goods with loud guitars, keyboards and soaring falsetto. Even better is the anthemic chorus on "Tomorrow Today" which approaches Oasis for delivery and tone.”
- Aaron Kupferberg (Powerpopaholic)

“Their signature track "Close to Home" props up the last stages of the album. There are creepy whispers, alarms going off, stop-starts - everything that Danny Echo put across in the first half is packed into this song. This reels off into a rare moment of spontaneity, and reflection, "Natural Disaster". A classic bluesy acoustic track which owes its debt to The Rolling Stones - this is a real key change from the charged music that precedes the finale…“
- David Bridge Music Reviews

Danny Echo: Tomorrow Today – CBC Radio 3 “ Track of the Day,” 03/23/09

“Everyday into the night, we talk about our future

In the current crazy state of the world, I bet lots of worry meters are in the red. It's easy to get caught up in a collective wave of fear. Am I advocating for complete obliviousness? Hardly. I just wish sometimes it were easier to lose yourself in the moment longer than a pleasantly buzzed Friday night.

This song by the BC band Danny Echo hits upon this message more in a love relationship sense perhaps, but the sentiment goes as deep as you want to take it, or sing it. It's very succinctly put in one line in the chorus;

Let's not talk about tomorrow today

The backwards guitar loop at the end is a nice touch too - almost like the rewinding of time.”
- Tariq Hussain (CBC Radio 3 Host)
- Multiple

They Are All, So Don’t Even Try: NXNE 2008 with Redd Kross
Danny Echo from Vancouver helped immensely. Not only were they really good, they were “I need to remember their name” good, a perfect opener for Redd Kross.
Singer Danny Echo (gotta love a band who names itself after its lead singer’s fictional moniker) has a husky, powerful voice which roughs up the edges of their instantaneously infectious music, like Noddy Holder from Slade. The guitar riffage was a great blend of AC/DC and vintage power pop. Shannon Perkins’ bass was bigger than she was and she was wearing high heels. Hot!
They had smoke machines. They jumped around and sweated and rocked their asses (and ours) off. They made us whoop and holler and clap our hands. Danny leapt down into the “crowd” and flailed around. All of this for five people. It restores your faith in rock and roll, I tell ya.
- Pop Shifter