The Lost Millions’ Novellas Dantes five track EP
Austin, Texas’ rock outfit, The Lost Millions’ Novellas Dantes is a five track EP with near perfection guitar riffs, interesting bass and solid musicality. Proving rock is nowhere near dead, this four-piece delivers multi layers of standalone hits time and time again. This album is a keeper.
Right out of the gate, each song has a solid introduction. Albeit a guitar riff or a throbbing bassline, songs like “See The Light” and “My Street” catch the lethargic condition, only to meander the listener into Matt Westfield’s voice. His voice can wander off at times, but in try rocker fashion, it still works. Westfield also plays guitar and is joined by David Lines (guitar), Heath McBurnett (bass) and Scott Bettersworth on drums. Together these two tracks are ideally ordered and start out the EP with just the right temperature. The band is tight and while Bettersworth drums seem to not grab the same attention as the guitars, his importance is definitely felt. The bass, oh the bass, it’s just delicious. McBurnett’s genius perpetrates each track.
The next two songs bring up the mood a bit and fall more into a punk space. “Wisdom of the Mad Priest” nails it. It’s just a killer track with droning guitars. The song creates a wedge where the listener feels like it can grapple the familiarity, only to fall into the beat. It’s got the makings of a great song to ride, top down on a dark road. “It’s cold at night…it was seven years till the mad priest would get to me.” Such despair. Such mystery. The backing music creates this feeling of motion, whereas the listener might feel like in a perpetual circle of dreams and memories. Again, that feeling driving and movement. “Mad At The Sun” is also forlorn. The guitars cry. This song feels very rock, very Texan, very punk. The riff is tattooed in the brain and stalks the listener hours after listening.
BANDCAMP: https://thelostmillions.bandcamp.com/album/novellas-dantes
“Complicated” is the final track and it’s a great ending to the collection. It drives home the band’s world view and tonal base. It’s not as strong of a track like “Mad At the Sun” but it’s still a solid song.
Overall, Novellas Dantes is a truly outstanding EP. The band, The Lost Millions, have reasons to boast about its nuances and rock splendor. Fans of Blue Oyster Cult (to fulfill the classic rock soul), Marcy’s Playground (to fill the alternative rock cravings), The Jesus and Mary Chain (to appease the eclectic heart), The Pixies or Green Day (to capture that punk love) and The Velvet Underground to find your way through all those sounds, will find something they really dig on this album. The Lost Millions seem to have it all and are offering fans of all of these bands their five killer tracks. Not only is Novellas Dantes worth listening to, it’s one of 2019’s best albums. It’s that good. Keep these guys on your radar, The Lost Millions are on their way and have a solid foundation for keeping rock music en vogue.
Jamie Morse