My friend Mark and I have a term that we sometimes use to describe certain music: we call it “intentional listening.” In other words, you have to be intentional about sticking through it the first time before some of the charms begin to display themselves. The music in question might initially come across as shrill, unorganized, or as my wife simply calls some of it, “racket.” Admittedly, “intentional listening” is not for everyone, and with that, it must be said upfront that Daniel Smith, a.k.a. Danielson (in all his incarnations) requires “intentional listening.”

Pitchfork provides perhaps the most succint summary/introduction to the work of Danielson in their review of this album:

In his decade-long run as the ringleader of art-rock collective the Danielson Famile, Daniel Smith has practically defined the term “cult artist.” His records– most of them highly conceptual paeans to God– can be exhausting, barraging listeners with surprise twists and turns and tangled song fragments. Smith himself has an inimitable vocal style: a twisted melange of bleating, twinging yelps, whoops, and screeches.

“a twisted melange of bleating, twinging yelps, whoops and screeches.” Needless to say, the ubiquitous wanna-be-tastemaker Simon would not be a fan, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, now is it? Danielson has typically peformed concerts either in a full-blown tree costume, a medics uniform or something in between. He is a unique blend of singer/songwriter/performance artist/social critic and just about everything in between. Though openly and devotedly Christian, he does not want to be considered a “Christian” artist and instead opts to play other venues and promote through other avenues.
Commenting on the “Christian artist” label, Danielson said in a recent interview that

“I didn’t grow up with Christian music, really, and I don’t really subscribe to the philosophy of this sort of hidden-away subculture. To me, I listen to music, and I play music that is in the mainstream, indie, underground world–it’s just music to me.”

Many simply have no idea what to do with someone like Danielson, which also isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But don’t be fooled, there is an accessible musical sensibility here (if you doubt this, check out who produced Sufjan Steven’s acclaimed Seven Swans). Reviews for Danielson’s latest release are stellar to say the least. Allmusic have it 4.5 stars and Pitchfork gave it a rating of 9.1. Corralling some twenty musicians, including all Danielson Famile members past and present, Deerhoof and Sufjan Stevens, Ships could have easily degenerated into a cacouphony of personalities. Instead, each individual truly becomes part of the whole and the album brings to mind some of the over-the-top joy-choir atmosphere of the Polyphonic Spree.

Where as the Polyphonic Spree often filter themselves through sunny psychedelia, Danielson incorporates the trasch-can folk of Tom Waits without eschewing the psychedlia, building melodies and hooks from what on the surface appears to be racket. However, with repeated listens, the melodies not only emerge, but they succeed in implanting themselves, just way good musical hooks are intented to. In spite of and in the midst of Danielson’s somewhat awkward delivery (which itself has been toned down considerably) there are solid pop songs here.

Playing with the pop structure, the large ensemble allows for the presence of trumpets, percussion and vocal ensembles, all of which add a weight to the album, grounding it even while the tension is repeatedly pushed with building cresendos, rising from minimalist repetition. All of this allows the soaring melodies to highlight themselves even more and the accessibility that’s likely always been present is finally allowed to shine without compromising any of the brash experimentalism that’s been Danielson’s mainstray attraction and repulsion for many.

Lyrically, Danielson is often difficult to understand and decipher. The obvious theme of ships and all things nautical runs throughout, laying the groundwork for obvious references to Christian themes. The theme is joyous throughout, uplifting, catchy and memorable. It seems that the two years spent working on this project has paid off and Danielson has finally been able to translate his skewed vision into something that people other than the most dedicated of fans might listen to. Possibly sensing his success, the last song is entitled “Five Stars and Two Thumbs Up.” Indeed.
Bottom line: a challenging yet rewarding album. It’s not for everyone, but then again, the best music usually isn’t.

• Buy “Ships” by Danielson
• Read the allmusic.com review
• Read Pitchfork’s review
• Read the Tucson Weekly recent piece about Danielson.
• Visit Danielson’s website.