Little Weird, Little Emo, Little Punk, etc.
I really like the Massachusetts band Dino Gala, primarily because the name makes me imagine like a big ballroom with a bunch of dinosaurs palling around with each other, semi-formal event, little silent auction going on in the corner. Very charitably inclined group of Triassic reptiles.
But musically they also offer something a little different in the backdrop of the 2020s DIY/indie punk sound. The band originates from Boston and have been together since 2017. They first put out a single A and B side with 2021’s “run it back” and “fire escape” (and yes tragically they did’t properly capitalize their titles…very original).
Regardless both these songs kind of rock, and follow-ups in successive singles “Fun Fair” (capitalized btw…), “British”, and “51 Sea Slugs” (ok, yeah) also kind of bang as the kids would say. A 2022 EP Diagonal featured “51 Sea Slugs” plus four more new tracks, and most recently the band has collaborated on a 6 track split called Fauna with fellow Boston bands Gollylagging and going222jail (each band contributes 2 songs each, and it’s quite a final product).
Incidentally, Gollylagging and Dino Gala will be heading out on tour soon together. Details on the upcoming shows in Pittsburgh, Chicago, Cleveland, Brooklyn, and more can be found here.
Dino Gala’s greatest talent may be providing a well-crafted and diverse song-writing catalogue. They don’t settle for just one repeatable sound and formula which can be a bit of fresh air when compared to much of the alternative music scene today.
Best Song:
“British” (Single)
Honorable Mentions:
“Run it Back” (Single)
“shark” from Diagonal