Banquet Darling – “NOW”

Banquet Darling brings a massive, undeniable wave of theatrical energy to the new sophomore album “NOW”, and Todd Kilby wrote much of the record in hotel rooms and buses between Paris and Hong Kong, and that constant motion bleeds right into the music.

The sound mixes strange pop melodies with heavy punk rhythms and psychedelic grooves. The record tackles the difficult struggle of accepting reality while dealing with a chaotic mind stuck constantly in the present moment. Every thought from the past and future crashes into the current second and that energy works surprisingly well.

“The Getaway”, “Dynamite Daddy”, “Gone”, “Last Duet”, “Morning Star”, “Fake Gold”, “Coeval Faux Pas”, “Alchemical Bodies”, “Other Room”, and “On The Road” are impressive. My absolute favorite is “Morning Sun”. It has a bright, bombastic push that hooks you instantly and flat-out refuses to let go. “Shivers and Echoes” is a very close second. The groove on that one is frankly ridiculous and highlights the weird pop angles driving the entire project. “NOW” is my favorite album of the week.

If you are entirely new to the eccentric world of Banquet Darling, you absolutely have to check out the artist’s previous releases and I highly recommend starting with the cult favorite 2001 debut album “Dreamlove Obscura”. It lays down the initial foundation for the wild stylistic choices happening today.

Make sure you follow Banquet Darling on your favorite platforms to stay updated about new releases for the rest of this year. Todd Kilby is clearly an incredibly creative songwriter who pulls from a totally unique set of life experiences. Go hit follow and keep an eye out for whatever he creates next, because it is bound to be fascinating.