A flurry of drums comes barreling out of the speakers with a violent thrust as The Inoculated Canaries plow into their new single “Donna,” and though the chaotic percussion envelops the initial foray into the song in unapologetic discordance, it isn’t powerful enough to stop a blunt instrumental melody from making its way to the forefront of the mix inside of the first few bars. It becomes quite obvious within only moments of making contact with “Donna” that The Inoculated Canaries mean serious business with their latest release, which caps off a very productive year for the critically acclaimed alternative rock group. Though they’ve been incorporating a lot of pop influences into their sound as of late, this track reestablishes the band as a rock-focused unit able to construct simple verses and calculated hooks without creating a jagged finish for audiences to look past, which is something that many of their competitors in the American underground have failed to accomplish in their most recent studio recordings.
I really like that the vocal is just as prominent in the master mix here as any of the instrumental elements are, because were it not given as much of a boost in the big picture as its afforded in “Donna,” I don’t know that we would be able to acknowledge (much less enjoy) its emotional depth as much as we can in this version of the song. Production tricks and studio schemes aren’t a crucial component of The Inoculated Canaries’ sound, but I would be lying if I said that they weren’t refining their studio presence in this track.
They’re using every inch of sonic space in the mix to yield a tense atmosphere eventually broken up by the vocal’s cutting verses, and instead of making one part of the harmony the center of the song’s climax, it feels as though we’re listening to one epic release staggered out across four minutes of play. Is it a little unconventional? Of course – but this could be the reason why their compositional approach comes across as being the unique gem that it undisputedly is in this single.
WATCH THE VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSa2zq_Tdvk
The Inoculated Canaries’ “Donna” finishes us off in a fading haze of harmony and havoc-wreaking percussion that has now become familiar to us thanks to the track’s chest-pounding beat, and much like “Sneakers” and “Who are you?,” it leaves behind an enormous melodic void just begging for us to keep the spirit and play the song all over again. While I won’t say that this is the most grown-up that The Inoculated Canaries have ever sounded, they’ve made a ferocious rock n’ roll juggernaut in this single that should be regarded as a beast of listen this December nevertheless. “Donna” is a rhythmic track with a creative music video worthy of the moniker that it wears, and though I’m fairly certain it won’t be the last song this group releases to the praise of critics and fans alike, it marks a step towards their sleekest sound yet, and perhaps one that will bring them the fame and fortune they’ve been working so hard for.
