By: Faetra Petillo
Rating: 8/11

You know you are living in the digital age when a two to three person operation can sound like a ten piece band. For some, this conclusion stands as a dismal marker of the desecration of original heart-felt tunes, a music movement where the pushing of a button has taken the place of the strumming of a guitar. But for those people who think the electronic age can't have all the soul of the original rock song, I dare them to take a listen to Dinosaur Feathers who, for lack of a more appropriate metaphor, sound like what would happen if Animal Collective screwed a Beach Boy. It's pure dissonance but there's something incredibly groovy about it at the same time. Each track is a multi-layered canvas with the first and most important layer consisting of a melodic beat and harmonious vocals that carry throughout the whole song. Then, they add in some acoustics and light drumming to give it a folky/surfy feel. Finally, they top each piece off with a total clusterfuck of random techno beats, turning an otherwise humdrum sweet summer song into a dancing masterpiece. It's a tricky combination of many different styles that could go horribly wrong, but Dinosaur Feathers seem to be meticulous in making sure that it doesn't go so far out there that the music becomes un-listenable. While all of their tracks seem to follow a similar structure and melody, each one seems to come out sounding completely unique. There's an urgency and acceleration that happens without losing the feel good vibes. It's emotional without letting itself get too heavy. It's tribal yet poppy. The best of both worlds.