Phases and Stages

The Deathray Davies

Midnight at the Black Nail Polish Factory (Glurp) Midnight at the Black Nail Polish Factory is the sound of a band hitting its stride, fulfilling the talk of potential that's followed it from the beginning. The band being the Deathray Davies, the band that's made Dallas once again safe for rock. But this isn't your average, everyday rock. The Deathray Davies wear the Kinks on their sleeves, but they also incorporate bits and pieces of the Beach Boys, the Raspberries, the Three O'Clock, and Let's Active into a sound that's anything but ordinary. They sound similar in texture to the recent work of the New Pornographers and at times Wilco, but it all comes across as fresh as baby's breath, full of twists and turns and cheerful melodies. Songwriter John Dufilho and sidekick Jason Garner employ everything from guitars, keyboards, and drums to kazoos, xylophones, and trumpets to build an orchestra of the mind. At times, it's large and gets in your face. Other times, it's mystifying with hidden nooks that only reveal themselves after several listens. In a way, Midnight at the Black Nail Polish Factory is a performance piece where all the parts are of a whole. Some songs stand out, like the warped electronic pop tune "The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower" and "Maggie Doesn't Blink," with its glorious guitars and celestial harmonies. But this is an album that needs to be heard from start to finish -- again and again -- to capture its full effect. For fans of 21st-century pop, it'll be 40 minutes and 33 seconds well spent. (The Deathray Davies buff their new CD at the Mercury, Friday, May 16.)