ACL Music Fest 2014 Saturday Reviews

The Chain Gang of 1974

"Why do people like you think everything is all right?" choruses the deceptively titled "Death Metal Punk" on the Chain Gang of 1974's sophomore slump. They should answer their own question. The brainchild of singer/multi-instrumentalist Kamtin Mohager, Daydream Forever overflows with the sunny vibes of the Denver native's new Los Angeles home, spinning a millennial's idea of state-of-the-art EDM: lava lamp synthesizers, roiling electronic percussion, and a general sense of ennui despite the laid-back, happy nature pervading the proceedings. "Miko" bursts with rock & roll aggression from guitars that may or may not be sampled, but that's a rarity here. Thankfully, so is the oonse, oonse, oonse propulsion and bombast driving most modern dance music. The best that can be said about this Chain Gang: At least it's imaginative. (11:30am, RetailMeNot stage)