Danielson Famile

(Tooth & Nail)
by Lex Marburger

Sort of a Frank Black meets the Shaggs thing – all members of the Smith family, ranging in age from 12 to 24. There’s a tinge of gospel, but mostly it’s sloppy acoustic folk-ish weirdness. The bio says that this started as Daniel Smith’s senior college thesis. What the hell was he studying, anyway? Still, for all its immaturity and childishness, the Danielson Famile has a purity of spirit that is hard to find these days. They’re unflinchingly honest about their music, and as a result, it becomes compelling. It’s not “good” in any conventional sense, but who cares about convention? In their own way, the Danielson Famile is about as punk as you can get.