Danielson

The Best of Gloucester County

BY Michael EdwardsPublished Feb 22, 2011

Waiting five years between albums might have been a very good idea for Daniel Smith and the rest of his Danielson compatriots, as it's given them the chance to build upon their previous good work. While The Best of Gloucester County doesn't quite reach the heady heights of its predecessor, Ships, it does progress the Danielson agenda of odd pop songs towards finding the right balance between quirkiness and accessibility. Like every Danielson record, this is very much an ensemble effort, with a deceptively competent, ramshackle band throwing themselves into every song with gleeful enthusiasm. There are even a couple of high profile guest stars stopping in to make contributions ― the standard Sufjan Stevens banjo contribution that happens on almost every Sounds Familyre release, plus Jens Lekman provides vocals on standout "Lil Norge." And when they move outside their usual comfort zone, things get even better, such as the country-tinged "You Sleep Good Now," suggesting that they have more tricks up their collective sleeves for the next record. Let's hope it happens sooner rather than later.
(Sounds Familyre)

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