Weird band name, unique, nonabrasive sound, relative obscurity, yeah, I’d say that Dinosaur Feathers is a group that I should get behind. I’ve been having a lot of trouble with this post, as this band has a sound that’s really hard to describe. Fantasy Memorial isn’t perfect by any means; there’s plenty that could have been eliminated or improved upon. I like the record for the most part, though.
Think acoustic Animal Collective. Now you may see why I’m having a hard time here. This record is a mishmash of all kinds of stuff—vocal harmonies, head-scratching beats, ambiguous lyrics, and the completely unidentifiable sources that make up most of the midrange. There’s a lot going on here, but it rarely feels busy or forced. Instead, Fantasy often comes off as catchy. Family Waves, the highlight of this record, is a fast paced, infectious track that ends before you can figure out exactly what’s going on. This band is at its best when making music like that.
Unfortunately, Dinosaur Feathers doesn’t always make music like that. When the band slows things down, it can be frustrating and almost painful to listen to. Take Holy Moses, for instance. It’s a drawn out, boring, and repetitive track that has no place on the record. If a little fat trimming had been done before this was released, Fantasy Memorial could have been a lot better. That’s often the problem with self-released work, though—sometimes, producers can be useful.
Dinosaur Feathers have a lot of potential. If they tighten things up on their next release, it’s definitely a band to look out for.
Swole Ear 
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