Dylan McGuire Band
Havertown, PA 19083, USA | Established. Jan 01, 2005
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Dylan McGuire “Gravity (Or Lack Thereof)”
Philadelphia-area native Dylan McGuire is a singer/songwriter who just completed his newest album with up-and-coming local producer Brett Talley (of IKE). McGuire soaks in some of those IKE influences on the opener “Sunny and 71″ with a solid guitar hook leading the way. Its also pretty clear on”My New Wings” and “Try To Stop Me” that U2′s The Edge is a major influence. His style also reminded me of a mix between The Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox 20 at certain points.
It helps that Dylan has a strong vocal, and is skilled composer as well. Both the hook filled chorus and guitar riffs kept me listening on the 5 minute “Wear It On Your Sleeve” and “Maybe This Time.” Dylan also has a great melodic instinct so its too bad we don’t get a ballad here. However, fans of soul searching anthems and guitar-centered rock will enjoy the entire LP immensely. - PowerPopAholic
The first things you will notice about the songs in Dylan McGuire’s Gravity (Or Lack Thereof) are the guitar work and the melodies. These alone are two compelling reasons to listen through Dylan’s entire recent album. The Philadelphia-based singer/guitarist is an expert craftsman who knows how to make his guitar sing and his melodies ring. The music is very 80’s inspired, and anyone who enjoys Bon Jovi through Guns ‘N Roses through The Replacements will have a blast. Most impressive are songs like “Sunny & 71” (below) and “Tracy Likes”, which use sarcasm and humour to drive you through Dylan’s stories (I’ll wait for the mashup of “Tracy Likes” and The Cuff Links’ 1969 hit “Tracy” :P ). “Chicago” seeths with breakup pain, while “My New Wings” is the best song within, uplifting and full of energy and awaiting a clear day when you can just get away and do whatever.
Dylan’s voice and music has a similar niche to what Kevin Rudolf found in 2009 with “Let It Rock” though Kevin’s music clearly skews more R&B. The entire album (which you can stream through Reverb Nation) sounds a bit on the raw side, which can only be improved with future releases, but Gravity (Or Lack Thereof) is an honest and passionate effort – and, oh yeah, did I mention the guitar playing and the melodies? :) Get it on iTunes or at Dylan’s store on his website. - Bill C's Music Blog
Exploding into life with a huge guitar riff, Dylan McGuire’s Gravity (Or Lack Thereof) kicks off with opening track ‘Sunny and 71′, a great slab of rock and roll that powers straight into the chorus before you’ve had a chance to catch your breath.
Heading straight on with ‘Changed’, there’s a late nineties feel to the guitars that is filled with nostalgia. On the first verse there are jangle-pop influences to be found, with soaring strings gliding though in the background. It’s on the chorus when the R.E.M. influences appear, with rich vocal harmories that give Michael Stipe and Mike Mills a good run for their money.
‘My New Wings’ is a more mid-tempo number, the layers of drums, bass, and palm-muted guitars starting things off nicely, before bursting into a noisier section with delayed arpeggios supporting a strong vocal melody.
On ‘Circus Friends’ there’s more palm muted guitars and a big chorus that wouldn’t be out of place on a Fountains Of Wayne record, while ‘Try To Stop Me’ is filled with delayed guitars and ‘woah-woah-woahs’, all classic indie rock fare.
‘Wear It On Your Sleeve’ offers some substantial rock crunch, with thoughtful lyrics, “You’ve got your head down / Counting the tiles / Won’t look them in the eye / Can’t crack a smile / Dodging their bullets / Is not on the cards / And you wonder /Why is this so hard”
Moving in a more grungey direction, ‘Tracy Likes’ has a bit more sludge and bathroom reverb, with minor notes thrown into the vocal melody. The track powers along with energy and a lot of bite, while ‘Chicaco’ goes a bit more classic rock with big distorted guitars leading into a gentle acoustic guitar part.
‘Parking Lot’ opens with a thumping bass line before the spluttering guitars leap into action with a strong riff, while ‘Maybe This Time’ plays with a range of guitar parts working together, sometimes battling for attention, other times supporting each other.
The concluding track on Gravity (Or Lack Thereof), ‘Jack Of All Trades’, sees Dylan McGuire’s vocal with more reverb, creating a fresh tone in comparison with the rest of the record. The track features a strong chorus to end the album on, with its jangling tambourine, and squealing guitar solos.
This is indie rock with one eye on the past and one fixed firmly on the road ahead. - Crossradar
Dylan McGuire’s “Gravity (Or Lack Thereof)” rocks the way rock should. With a great deal of energy throughout the entire collection there is never a dull moment. Everything feels forceful from the driving rhythm to the powerful vocals. Well-crafted pop rarely sounds this good and Dylan McGuire makes it sound so easy. Dylan McGuire’s vocals are reminiscent of an earlier era of rock, a more earnest one.
“Sunny and 71” starts the album off with an optimistic kick. Neatly injecting a sense of humor within the narrative helps to make it one of the highlights of the collection. Taking a slightly mellower approach with “Changed” Dylan McGuire explores introspective moments. For “Try to Stop Me” Dylan McGuire creates an infectious groove that grows ever stronger eventually peaking at the end with a nice well-deserved sprint to the defiant finale. “Tracy Likes” is a particularly sweet song perhaps the best thing on the whole album with the anxiety built up until the breaking point. On “Parking Lot” the driving rhythm gains a particularly emotive touch to it with light flourishes of sadness that rise up. For the finale Dylan McGuire spreads out with the epic “Jack of All Trades” slowly worming its way through the narrative that ties the song together.
Instantly catchy, remarkably clever with an emotional core that guides each song, “Gravity (Or Lack Thereof)” is a memorable collection and a true testament to excellent pop craftsmanship. - BeachSloth
Philadelphia musician-songwriter Dylan McGuire first garnered attention a decade ago with his band Broken Jones. Then, in 2009, some of his own compositions were featured on the broadcasts of baseball’s National League playoffs. Now, drawing on such influences as Radiohead and U2, McGuire has released his solo album Gravity (Or Lack Thereof).
The track “Sunny and 71” wastes not a nanosecond in getting launched into a state of guitar & percussion rhapsody. The chorus is pretty damn catchy. That part doesn’t take long to get to either.
Have a listen at 0:35. Overall, the song seems upbeat, which I suppose makes sense, because “sunny and 71” is ideal weather, for most people.
The track “Changed” has a simple but fine arrangement of raucous bar chords. By the way, McGuire has a fine rock voice, which I could just of easily have mentioned while commenting on the previous track.
Artist: Dylan McGuire
Song: Sunny & 71
MP3: http://k002.kiwi6.com/hotlink/15374qnwhm/01_sunny_and_71_1.mp3
“My New Wings” has more of a buildup than the prior tracks. It also seems to have a bit more of a brooding edge, at least initially. Have a listen to the vocal explosion at 0:33. Mega infusion of soul. I love the way McGuire howls the lyrics: “This is my story.”
The track “Wear it on your Sleeve” seems to be an anthem of self-identity & expression: “Wear it on your sleeve / Whatever you believe…Don’t ever let them bring you down.” …But who is the “them” here ? Ruthless muscle-bound jocks? Authoritarian teachers? Bitchy materialists? Nagging lunch-ladies? Whatever the case, this track features a glorious guitar solo towards its end.
“Tracy Likes” is a fine song to listen to if/when you’ve just discovered that ya got a bit of a crush on someone. At 2:20 comes this wailing guitar solo, which adds to the emotional hysteria.
Listening to the track “Chicago,” it clicks in my brain that McGuire reminds me of this fine soulful rock band (since abolished, sadly) from Maine called Jeremiah Freed.
I could easily see McGuire doing well on a college rock tour. I’m still not entirely sure what the album’s full title implies, but it’s a fine album indeed. As inspired as it is unpretentious. - Skope.com
Discography
Gravity (Or Lack Thereof) - 2013
Another Chapter - 2007
Better Days - 2000
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Dylan McGuire is a musician and songwriter dedicated to keeping alive the spirit of intelligently-crafted, guitar-driven rock/pop.
McGuire, who resides in the Philadelphia area, recently released his latest album Gravity (Or Lack Thereof), which was recorded with producer Brett Talley (of IKE). The album signifies a return to the upbeat, hook-laden sound of his earlier work and also prominently features McGuire's lead guitar skills. Since its release, the album has received kudos from the press and has been played on FM radio nationwide and internet streaming radio worldwide.
McGuires music often draws comparisons to classic alternative guitar pop (Elvis Costello, The Replacements, REM, etc.) featuring hooky melodies, a slightly left-of-center lyrical approach and a driving, raw rock sound. On the latest album, McGuire has also incorporated more ethereal guitar tones, inspired by the likes of U2 and Radiohead, dense vocal harmonies and nods to diverse influences such as grunge, Revolver-era Beatles and classic rock.
McGuire's lyrics range from tongue-in-cheek (Circus Friend, Sunny and 71, Tracy Likes), to soul-searching anthems (Wear It On Your Sleeve, Jack of All Trades) to angst-driven breakup songs (Chicago, Parking Lot).
McGuire first gained notoriety in the mid-Atlantic regional music scene in the early 2000s with his band Broken Jones, whose independent release Better Days was put into rotation on modern rock FM radio in Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, and even Seattle. McGuire released his solo album Another Chapter in 2007, which also generated local interest and radio play. McGuire hit a home run in 2009 when a number of his tracks were featured prominently in TV broadcasts of then-MLB Champion Philadelphia Phillies.
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