Instant Gratification features DGD’s unique mix of squiggly guitar lines with clean and screamed vocals. Is it some kind of prog-jazz-screamo-boy band hybrid? Maybe so, but no matter what I like it! This is the second DGD lp with Tilian Pearson on clean vocals, and their sixth lp overall. Tilian’s voice is strong and clear, and his vocal range extends way up there with the singers of Sleeping with Sirens or A Skylit Drive. However, to my ears he lacks the emotionality of former vocalists Johnny Craig, or even Kurt Travis! That said, guitarist/songwriter Will Swan is a master of his craft, and if anything his arrangements are better here than on previous records. While there’s no home run like “I think it’s safe to say you dig the back seat”, this is an excellent record.

FCC - 6, 7?, 9
Favorites: 3, 4, 7, 12

1. Romantic love song, more clean vocals than screams, great shift towards the end
2. Starts with screaming, excellent stereo effects with duel guitar leads, very high-pitched chorus
3. The hit. Enveloping chorus, love the clean vocals over the screams on the verses, showcases all of DGD’s strengths
4. The other hit. Heavier start overlaid with synthesizer, stays heavier until it gets high school puppy lovey, frankly high school dopey lyrics about boy/girl problems
5. More math-rocky than usual, love it or hate it I think. Harsher and heavier than most here. Second half is more straight-forward
6. Great rhythm guitar riff to start, another enveloping chorus, FCC fuck, has some great atmospheric parts
7. “Talk about your feelings” John Mess screams to start it. Love this one. Gets “funky” later on.
8. Slow, building start, not enough screaming
9. Starts with creaming over echoey “western” guitar, later has hand claps, then even later has a rap part. Not sure how to describe it. Weird song choices.
10. More anthemic, has some great screaming in the middle, but runs out of gas imo
11. Some nice slower parts, alternating between bombastic and introspective, very very high singing
12. Faster, launches instantly, reminiscent of the energy on their first record with Kurt. Echoed vocals. Doesn’t let up!