The Datsuns - So Long

Staying power – the art of holding it together, digging in heels and quite simply never fucking giving up.

No one demonstrates this unworthy English dictionary reference more than New Zealand indie rock band, The Datsuns. With a career spanning almost a decade these guys, with hits to boot, have a sense of durability surpassing most press hyped artists. Four albums in, a swift reshuffle of the band propelling them to develop, in Dolf’s words, ‘new influences and new abilities.’ These guys seem pretty willing to make us scramble aboard the 70s-esque bus of riff and roll. Hesitantly so we might add.

Although, passionate as they may be there isn’t a single thing you’ve never heard before, on digital download ‘So Long’. As a band they’re incredibly tight, determined and oh so willing to bowl us over with their take on 70s infused pop rock. You can feel it in their vocals, this excitement is subsequently met with a panicked attempt to woo us. So, with that the whole two minutes and ten seconds are over sounding like it was written in less time than it takes to play. The band’s love of countless guitar solos is overplayed and over takes this track until it consists of not much else. ‘So Long’ cannot and does not hold it’s own against the more excitable tracks like ‘MF From Hell.’

Uninspiring and repetitive, here’s hoping that the Datsuns advantage of said staying power will lead to a experimentation of new sound before they completely return to the 70s.