Dada blends ’60s sound with now

Los Angeles trio Dada may have taken six years between its last studio project and new release “How To Be Found,” but it hasn’t missed a beat when it comes to touring.

“We’re on the road about half our lives right now,” says guitarist and singer Michael Gurley. “The last 12 months we’ve been on the road about six months, and it’s going to pretty much continue that way.”

How To Be Found

That road will lead Dada, which also includes bassist Joie Calico and drummer Phil Leavitt, to the Outland Ballroom tonight.

“How To Be Found” finds the band blending ’60s psychedelia, Police-like guitar work and a keen sense of when to bend the rules enough to give the music a twist.

“I think it’s got the same elements as some of (our) other records, like strong harmonies,” Gurley says. “A lot of people are saying it’s very mid-’60s and current (influences) mixed together.”

Despite the sparkling two- and three-part harmonies and upbeat sounding first single “Any Day the Wind Blows,” Gurley sees the album as somewhat dark thanks to offbeat humor and themes of losing girls and losing friends.

“Found” is Dada’s fifth album on five labels since 1992. Its debut disc “Puzzle” sold more than half a million copies on the strength of surprise hit “Dizz Knee Land,” which reached No. 5 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart.

The group followed up with albums in 1994, ’96 and ’98 before taking a hiatus in 1999. During that time, Gurley and Calico formed a side project called Butterfly Jones, Leavitt performed with the Blue Man Group and Calico released a solo CD.

The cornerstones of “How To Be Found” are the vocal harmonies and Dada’s renewal of the power-trio tradition.

The experimental and improvisational influence of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream and the Police figure into the music along with a penchant for pop’s golden age, Gurley says.

“I think we’re all from the classic pop writing school growing up with the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel and even Hendrix and Cream,” he says. “They were all creative, but came from the field of writing where you have first verse, first chorus, bridge, solo out.”

The band often writes much of its material in the studio through jamming and co-writing lyrics, Gurley says. The improvised aspect of the songs is held in check on the recordings, but Gurley says the band plays it up on stage, leaning as much on chops as songwriting.

The group still plays “Dizz Knee Land” at every show, Gurley says, finding new arrangements to keep it fresh.

“If we don’t they’re going to throw fruit at us,” he says. “But I’ll tell you, I still like playing that song because it’s evolved live.”

Steve Olaf, better known as Steve-O on Springfield radio station KTOZ-FM (Alice 95.5), says Dada fits into a group of bands that, for him, helped define the guitar-driven sound of ’90s pop.

“I would say if you like Cracker, the Gin Blossoms, the BoDeans or even REM back in the ’90s, you would certainly enjoy Dada,” he says.

- Michael A. Brothers

Source: News-Leader.com