After Lady Danville made their announcement that Matt would be leaving the band and they would, therefore, be changing their name, I questioned even finishing this post but, if you turn a "bands to watch" post into general information about a great "band," it is so much more subjective (i.e. easier to write). Of course, the band split up (sort of; in essence, they are going back to their Mikey G and Dan from Danville days [the songs are few, but great]), but they were still amazing, and shamelessly promoting their new and upcoming, albeit unnamed, band is important.
An indie pop band consisting of Michael Garner, Daniel Chang, and Matthew Frankel (incorporated into the group sometime after the trio met at Awaken A Capellla at UCLA), Lady Danville formed in 2007 and won their first contest, as a trio, with their song "Tired Magician" in the Annual 98.7 Star Lounge Competition. The band has spent the last five years developing a following in Los Angeles and touring the country with bands and artists, including Ben Folds, Jack's Mannequin, Guster, Chris Conley, and Dashboard Confessional. On October 27th, the band posted an update on the facebook page which stated that Matt was going to be leaving the band and, while they were still releasing their album and continuing with their planned 2013 tour, they would be changing their band's name.
The band should still be releasing their music video for "Operating" before their February 12th album release, then they will, officially, be whatever band name Michael and Dan have decided on. The band members themselves are amazing; they are kind of loveable. The best way to describe the member's onstage charisma is by stating the fact that, the first time my sister and I saw them live, she leaned over halfway through the first song and said "Oh my god, I love them; they're adorable". Any live performance they have done shows just how much the members appear to love performing, and that makes it so much more enjoyable.
The band's latest EP (Operating [you can get it on iTunes or here]) featured only three songs, but I had been waiting years for "Ships" to be recorded so I would no longer have to rely on this cafe version and was, nonetheless, excited for the short album. "Better Side" has a great video (and is a great song) and "Operating," while slow, is reminiscent of the sound on their first album (Lady Danville EP), and I cannot help but love it.
I was addicted to "Sophie Roux", after hearing it on Dorm Life (a song which is now available on their Tour EP, which you can get on iTunes or here) and, while "Tired Magician" is an amazing song, it almost sounds better when performed acoustically in a stairwell than it does recorded. All of the songs from the bands first EP are great and show the amazing talent for songwriting and composition which each member has. "Anthem" is a great introduction to the band and the indie pop sound they so easily create, while "Tired Magician," "Cast Away," and "Love to Love" showcase the band's talent for manipulating words and turning them into great lyrics. "David" is, in my opinion, their best song; it may not be my favorite, with all of the new songs the band has released throughout the years, but it is still the absolute best one, because the lyrics are perfect and the song is the reason that I love the band, their music, and music in general.
"Carolina" is one of the best end of summer songs (with it's bittersweet lyrics and sound) and their cover of "Kids" is better than the original. I spent a year playing "Cars" on repeat when I was sixteen and got my roommate hooked on it when we were eighteen (no matter how many years go by, it is still fantastic).
"Bed 42" is one of their best and nothing will make you fall in love with "Frames & Moulding" more than listening to it by yourself on the highway at four in the morning. If you have seen anything from Dorm Life, you've probably heard "Spoon"; it's a great song and was featured on a really fantastic show. Of course, there's "I Want You Back" or "The Uke Song," which is great live and was never released in any other format; the audience response is always great and it's one of those songs that is better in a live format than recorded in a studio. The band did release a song last year, called "Holiday Song", which is one of the best songs to play during the holidays.
The fact that the band may have been on the precipice of fame, with their music being featured in television shows (Royal Pains and Pretty Little Liars), their first full-length album being released in February, and the promise of a 2013 tour, makes their split all the more disappointing. As much fun as I try to poke at the situation, with comments like, "I guess this shirt is a collector's item now," I am still upset about their break-up. I can only hope that Michael and Dan will have as much more, success than Lady Danville had and that the fans who have supported them for years will continue to do so now.
Here are some sites for you guys to check out, but there will be new sites, and a band name update, to come:
