Penny the Dreadful is the debut album from New Jersey band Those Mockingbirds. The album was recorded by Dean Baltulonis (The Hold Steady, Piebald) and mixed by Howard Willing (Smashing Pumpkins, OK Go). Daniel DeJesus from Rasputina plays the cello in "I Feel Like I Died". A teaser video for the first single from the album entitled "A Ballad From Hell" was released in August 2013. "How To Rob A Bank", the second single from the album, was released in October 2013. A music video for the single was released the same month. The video, which was directed by John Komar, won the MTVU Freshman competition.
Contents
The album was released on July 1, 2014. The album received positive reviews from publications Fake Walls, Decoy Music, and Mind Equals Blown.
Penny The Dreadful self-released
The band, which is led by vocalist/guitarist Adam Bird and violinist/keyboardist Tory Anne Daines, got their start just like every other band: playing shows all over the northeast and spending their free time promoting the band at places like the mall and random parking lots. Five years might be a long time to release a debut album, but Those Mockingbirds have been patiently biding their time for the right moment. Aside from releasing three EPs, 2010's No Symmetry and 2011's BETA: Alpha and Fa Sol La, the band have been gaining momentum via press from major publications like Fox News and CBS-FM and performances at festivals like CMJ and Northside Festival.
Recorded by Dean Baltulonis (Brand New, Lucero) at the Wild Arctic in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Penny The Dreadful features ten tracks that easily veer from soft, lush coffee shop atmospheres to grandiose stadium-like altitudes. Opener "A Ballad From Hell" slowly slithers out of the gate with twangy guitars and Adam playing the role of a sidewalk preacher, proclaiming "Maybe we're both going to hell" to those within earshot. Penny The Dreadful is a lot more grittier than their previous releases. Tracks like "Teenage Fantasies" and "Destroy My Love" have a grander emphasis on the grit notion but still manage to maintain inviting melodies.
The aforementioned "Destroy My Love" and "S.A.L.T." find Tory Daines delivering sonorous and sultry harmonies on her violin while "Model Myself" has Adam declaring "I won't model myself after you" backed by melodic guitars from Jonathan Gianino. With a guest spot from Daniel DeJesus of the New York band Rasputina, the acoustic track "I Feel Like I Died" closes the album in a delicate fashion. No need for electric guitars or pounding drums on this one.
With Penny The Dreadful, Those Mockingbirds have unveiled something that celebrates the band's journey so far.
Track listing
- A Ballad from Hell
- How to Rob a Bank
- Teenage Fantasies
- Loose Leather
- Destroy My Love
- S.A.L.T.
- Bodies on the Road
- The Reckoning
- Model Myself
- I Feel Like I Died (feat. Daniel DeJesus)