Hot Dad Calendar and the gut punching "Deer Tommy" from the exceptional "The Fear We Find in Safe Spaces"

 

"the stains won't come out this time and he doesn't bike like he used to..."

Hot Dad Calendar, the name makes me smile and the fact that this Pennsylvania based three piece indie rock band just put out an album called "The Fear We Find in Safe Spaces" that takes a biting, deeply cutting, sardonic look at our fucked up society all in a mid-western sort of emo-esque earnest, scrappy, "fuck this shit" sort of way. It is an album that finds the folly of capitalism gone awry or at least losing it moral compass over the bottom line on "Billionaire Killing Spree" with it's wonderfully kind of baby grunge sound or the sadly drawn, unexpectedly endearing cosmic joke of "Promised Land" that seems to lament our collective loss as we search for meaning amid all the crazy or the beautifully scattered puzzle pieced quandary of "Four Loko killed the Starman" and the hard, hard punch in the stomach sensations of "Deer Tommy".

Now "Deer Tommy" with sinewy graceful guitar rhythms and a truly emotional ramping up narrative full of, powerfully stoic drumming, boldly drawn bass lines, a daring open wound vox and an absolutely hammering lead guitar break is downright goose bumps inducing. Kudos to all the players. Written after hitting a deer by accident, the anthropomorphization, the reimaging of a deeper story and deeper consequences absolutely works. 

While this is not a conventional album review, not one at all really, "The Fear We Find in Safe Spaces" is an exceptional piece of work, truly, and this coming from someone who doesn't often swim in emo-esque rock albums. You will not be disappointed. All music and lyrics written and performed by Jordan Santiago, Jack Duncan, and Savannah Peck.

-Robb Donker Curtius

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:

https://www.facebook.com/hotdadcalendar

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4CrNoKK0P1snEzEXliXMVG

https://hotdadcalendar.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/hotdadcalendar/

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/hot-dad-calendar/1386836866

Coming in hot out of Pennsylvania, Hot Dad Calendar is the authentic result of three friends combining their own distinctive styles and personalities to bring a fresh, nostalgic sound to the alternative/indie rock scene. Their first full-length studio album, "The Fear We Find in Safe Spaces," produced by Brian McTear and Amy Morrissey at Miner Street Recordings in Philadelphia, PA (The War on Drugs, Kurt Vile, Modern Baseball), is available as of May 6th, 2022.

"The Fear We Find in Safe Spaces" makes an attempt at giving legs to the feeling of absolute uncertainty in a time where it feels like the floor is falling out from under you. The hope is that some of this can resonate with someone and let them know that it's not just them. -Jordan

So many experiences and unexpected things have happened since we started this whole process, but I am so excited for all of you to hear some of my favorite songs we have ever written. -Jack

I am proud of how we worked together and equally put our hearts into each song on this record. We have all been through the ringer, but at least we got a pretty good album out of it. -Savannah

All music and lyrics written and performed by Jordan Santiago, Jack Duncan, and Savannah Peck.


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 Hot Dad Calendar, indie rock, societal commentary, biting, sardonic rock, emo, mid-western rock, alt rock, guitar rock, "Deer Tommy", new album "The Fear We Find in Safe Spaces",