SEADAISY - MIRROR LIFE
On Toronto musician Caitlin Dacey's solo debut under the SeaDaisy moniker, she channels an array of 90's influences while drawing from her previous experience in both Public Animal and Bella Clava to create a sound that is entirely her own while fusing the best elements of her previous bands. Opening with the instantly nostalgic "Got Hit/Got Cut," which recalls the Pixies classic "Debaser" if delivered by Kim Deal instead of Frank Black, Dacey immediately establishes herself as a force to be reckoned with. What follows are seven songs that draw from a deep well of experience in life, love, and the unforgiving mistress that is rock 'n' roll, only to emerge on the other side unscathed on the epic, album-closing track "Mountain."
It's been a hot minute since we've last head from Dacey, with 2023's Public Animal magnum opus album Sun Won't Wait representing her last major recorded output. While that band ended somewhat unceremoniously, their sprawling nineteen-song final LP was a treasure trove of Dacey-penned material. As such, it comes as no surprise that some of the strongest songs on Mirror Life are reminiscent of her best Public Animal material, most notably the standout track "Down," which immediately recalls the PA track "When the Heart is Pure."
The band that Dacey has assembled to bring Mirror Life to life is the secret weapon that allows these songs to truly soar. Featuring none other than Public Animal's Ryan Gassi on drums, Bella Clava's Scott Hannigan on bass and Hot Wax Meltdown's Jeff Dowdall on guitar, these supporting players allow Dacey to shine on her signature instrument -- keys. Not to mention her trademark sweet-meets-gritty vocal that recalls Alison Mosshart of The Kills and The Dead Weather fame. Each of these disparate elements gel seamlessly, resulting in songs that emerge fully-formed, as if SeaDaisy had been road-hardened from years of touring, rather than a brand new project that has emerged unassumingly, seemingly out of thin air.
When all is said and done, Mirror Life is exactly what it claims to be -- an examination of the uneasy juxtaposition between our actual lives and the re-imagined digital personas that we present of ourselves online. Songs like "Nipple Confusion" (a term coined for babies switching between breast-feeding and bottle-feeding) just as easily serves as a quick study on the hyper-sexualized click-bait content being pumped onto social media on a daily basis. In contrast, the poignant "Wind Phone" treads into supernatural territory, offering a means of communication with those who have departed the physical world. Indeed, self-reflection is a challenge for most, but Dacey makes it look effortless. Then again, it helps when you've got the best mirror -- that same unforgiving mistress, rock 'n' roll.
-Leks Maltby