Sons of Dave Davies and Robbie Robertson Join Forces on New Album
Classic rock's next generation takes another step into the spotlight with the release today of Condemned by Daniel Davies and Sebastian Robertson.
Sons of the Kinks' Dave Davies and the Band's Robbie Robertson, they've crafted a rumbling, jeopardy-filled original score for the film of the same name by writer and director Eli Morgan Gesner. And they've done it without consulting their famous fathers' template for career building ... or even music making.
The elder Davies and Robertson, both members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, got their respective starts on the road, playing a series of tucked-away venues and memorable dives. The younger Davies and Robertson have instead chosen to explore their creativity together in a studio, fashioning a distinct blend of earthy grooves and intriguingly retro synthesizers – a world away from their dads' rock-focused sound.
If Condemned ends up feeling like its own unique journey, one that amplifies but doesn't necessarily rely upon the film for which it was made, there's a reason for that. The dark energy that builds around this music was fed through a shared experience for Davies and Sebastian, who began composing with the opening scene and continued developing ideas as the movie unfolded. "You don't always have this option," Robertson admits. "But in this case we both felt it would be an interesting way to approach this film."
Davies and Robertson began their partnership around the time a self-titled 2007 debut album arrived from Davies' band Year Long Disaster, but it found new momentum once they turned to writing film scores. They also had music featured in the Sharknado franchise. "Over the last few years, we have dedicated our free time in between projects to finding our voice as composers," Robertson says. "I think we’re starting to make some good progress."
The duo ultimately arrived in a familiar place – Robbie Robertson's post-Band career included film work with director Martin Scorsese, and Davies' godfather is director and composer John Carpenter, an acknowledged master in both genres – but got there following their own compass.
"I pick up a guitar or get behind a keyboard, and whoever I am in that moment rises to the surface," Sebastian Robertson says. "Same goes for Daniel. I think if you’re making music the right way, it’s unconscious. It just happens, so we were never trying to be unlike or like anyone else for that matter. But we do have some pretty great ears to bounce things off of."
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