Dave Hause
Devour
Release Date: Oct 8, 2013
Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Heartland Rock
Record label: Rise
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Album Review: Devour by Dave Hause
Great, Based on 4 Critics
Based on rating 8/10
"A true talent lies at the heart of 'Devour'..." The Springsteen-ifying of punk rock is now something so acceptable and assimilated that it’s hard to remember a time when tattooed dudes with dreadnoughts didn’t put on their best husky New Jersey drawl and tell animated stories full of allegory and manly metaphor. Thankfully, Philly troubadour Dave Hause’s sophomore platter manages to stand proud while casually dipping into drive-time radio (‘Same Disease’) and blue collar balladry (‘Before’). But when the band open things up on the punchy, Fallon-esque ‘Autism Vaccine Blues’ and ‘The Shine’, and when Hause strips it all back down for the awesome ‘Bricks’, it’s clear that a true talent lies at the heart.
Based on rating 7/10
Dave Hause has come a long way from screaming his face off in Philadelphia hardcore band the Curse and humping amps for the likes of the Bouncing Souls and Kid Dynamite. After a sideman stint in ex-KD unit Paint It Black, Hause left to dedicate himself to his own franchise. The Loved Ones were steeped more in Rick Springfield power-pop and Philly bands like Flight of Mavis.
Based on rating 3.5/5
At this point, no one should blame punk fans for growing weary of the "acoustic guy" movement. As Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, Dave Hause and countless others have (mostly) traded in their electric guitars for acoustic guitars over the past decade – ushering in a bevy of like-minded frontmen along with them – it's become increasingly difficult for its players to separate themselves from the oversaturation of contemporaries. Hause seems keenly cognizant of this, and makes a concerted effort to differentiate his sound from the others on his sophomore full-length Devour.Devour sounds much fuller and more realized than its predecessor, Resolutions.
Opinion: Excellent
The Philadelphia-based punk band The Loved Ones, haven’t put out a full length since 2008’s fantastic Build & Burn, when shortly after frontman/guitarist Dave Hause took some time off to work on a solo record. If Hause’s stellar new solo album – his second full length – is any indication, he won’t be getting the band back together anytime soon. Devour is another natural step forward in Hause’s development as one of the next great folk punk songwriters.
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