Tom Lynch

If anything, Daniel Smith has proven his adulation for both musical and lyrical oddity--whether it's certifiably Christian rock or not, it's still weird. His work with the Danielson Famile--inventive, cerebral and often abrasive--set him as a songwriter apart from the indie pack and into his entire "I love my Lord" territory. His yelping and howling surpass Isaac Brock's efforts tenfold. He employed handfuls of help for his recent "Ships"--including Deerhoof and Sufjan Stevens--and it resulted in a rock `n' roll affair, somewhat incomparable to his previous work, and certainly the songwriter's most accessible and most enjoyable. The huge sound--horns and strings, avalanching choruses with layer-heavy vocals--makes "Ships" seem like a rock opera in both its charming bombastic nature and crushing presentation.

Danielson plays May 25 at the Lakeshore Theater, 3175 North Broadway, (773)472-3492, at 8pm. $10-$12. (2006-05-23)

Also by Tom Lynch

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Tip of the Week
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