A record that feels very late summer-ish, Do Not Dare to Dream is another in a string of winners from Teenage Fanclub. This isn't going to cause a riot, but the music here still inspires in its own down-tempo way.
Opener "There was You" has a slight country-flavored vibe to it, even as "Tomorrow People" has a really catchy ascending melodic-line in its first half. Both are what Teenage Fanclub has sort of perfected in recent years. Sure, they sound just like lots of what was on the last few Fannies releases, but so what, right? These folks do this so well that the mellow rock here always pleases "Over and Over" (to quote another song here) again each time.
"Day in the Sun" is a gem and lots of this record sounds just like that. For those hoping that the permanent addition of Euros Childs (Gorky's Zygotic Mynci) to the band would result in a little more adventurous approach, you may as well keep hoping. Still, Do Not Dare to Dream is fairly consistent, with no duds. Teenage Fanclub have been around for so long now that it would seem churlish to begrudge them the ability to sort of settle into a sound they've perfected the last decade or so. In that sense, this is a fine record and one well worth seeking out if you're partial to the charms of Norman Blake and crew.
Do Not Dare To Dream by Teeange Fanclub will be out on October 9 via Merge Records.
[Photo: Donald Milne]