“Brat” by Charli XCX was the album of the summer, but now you’re invited to listen to the album of the fall: “What’s Wrong With New York?” by The Dare.
I’ve been listening to The Dare since the release of his first hit single, “Girls” back in 2022. Even Barack Obama featured “Girls” on his highly anticipated music roundup in 2022. Since then, I’ve waited awhile for him to release more music. On Sept. 6, he finally released his debut album “What’s Wrong With New York?” It’s 27 minutes and 24 seconds of electro-rock, dance-punk awesomeness.
Who better to follow Brat Summer than the man who produced a song on the deluxe edition of “Brat”? Known professionally as The Dare, Harrison Patrick Smith produced the bonus track “Guess” featuring Billie Eilish. Not to mention, he also opened for Charli XCX for part of her most recent tour.
“What’s Wrong With New York?” keeps up the high-energy club sound of “Brat,” but it also holds more of a carefree, messy indie-sleaze vibe. The Dare’s music makes it fun and exciting. It connects well with the modern party-goer scene or just people who enjoy upbeat energy in the music they listen to. It’s the perfect follow-up to Brat summer.
I’ve heard rumors the carefree, indie-sleaze aesthetic is on the brink of a revival despite the fact it hasn’t been gone for long–it was popular from the late 2000s to the early 2010s–and The Dare’s skyrocketing popularity seems to be bringing it back to the indie music scene.
Some people think The Dare is a ripoff of early 2000s indie and dance-punk artists like LCD Soundsystem and the Strokes, but I don’t think so. I think his sound is unique to our generation of dance music, especially when it comes to lyrics.
My favorite songs off the album are “I Destroyed Disco,” “You’re Invited,” and “All Night,” all following the first song I got into, “Girls.” The witty lyrics and fun mix of indie rock and electronic beats are great. These four songs are the best tracks off the 10 song album, and they truly encompass the album’s feel. I also really enjoyed the ballad track on this album, “Elevation” despite it not fully fitting in with the energy of the rest of the album.
There are a couple of songs that fall a little flat in comparison to my favorites. “Perfume” and “You Can Never Go Home” are my least favorite tracks. They still fit well within the album, but they aren’t as iconic as my top four.
None of my friends knew about him a few months ago. Now, anytime I’m in the car with some of them, they request that we listen to “Girls” or “I Destroyed Disco.” My roommates sure think The Dare is where it’s at for this upcoming fall, and they love jamming out to his music as we drive around.
I think The Dare has the potential to be just as iconic as “Brat” was this summer. I’m not the biggest listener in the electro-rock genre, but I have to say, The Dare… that’s what’s up.
