Danielson Trying Hartz

You know that bit in music class when the teacher told you all just to get up and choose an instrument and for the next 5 minutes ensues the most liberating moment of your school week, where the panicking, red-faced - probably trainee - teacher sweats and spittles to regain her totally lost control of the classroom, while you all gleefully smash and bang your instruments in cacophonic mayhem to drown out her voice and, at that moment, whilst you're giggling so much, the music almost begins to sound harmonious to you? Well that's what Danielson sound like to me. Something quite gloriously bizarre, energetic, creative and naughty is happening and you're waiting for someone to come in and tell them to put their instruments down, fingers on lips, no talking, the bell doesn't tell you when to go.

Danielson have always largely bypassed me and this is due to the fact that I have often failed to get the image of Elmo from Sesame Street out of my head when listening to frontman Daniel Smith, who does have quite a unique voice. But then again, I suffered from Lisa Simpson imagery with Joanna Newsom at the start and that passed long ago as her genius began to dazzle me.  I didn't really want to like Danielson, particularly due to the religious focus, but nonetheless I cracked on and soon began to relax and let this little treasure trove of collected songs enter my subconscious in a really very sweet way.  I had obtained a copy of the band's acclaimed 2006 release Ships at the time but never really understood their sound, finding them a little obnoxious. Trying Hartz suggests perhaps I should have had more patience and a little less pre-judgement.

Trying Hartz isn't really a 'best of' but more a collection of 28 songs, spread over two CDs, plucked from the last ten years of Danielson's career. The album contains rare live radio sessions, unreleased tracks and live performances, as well as a few fan favourites. Don't you be the judge stuck in my head the most, Daniel Smith letting audience members improvise a few lines of each verse before he crashes back in with the chorus. It left me desperately wanting to learn the lines just so I could sing along too.  The live tracks on here were a highlight for me; their sheer energy really defined the songs, interpreting and explaining what this band is about, which is, essentially, that they're a bit nuts but a lot of fun. Daughter will tune you was a rare, subdued moment, an acoustic almost Sufjan Stevens-esque track which stood out for me amongst the mayhem. Did I step on your trumpet? is a slight omission but then I already own Ships. Perhaps that's the point. The resulting collection does feel a little like a Cloud Cult album; 28 tracks sounds a lot but is over surprisingly quickly. They're nuts, but only in short bursts. I can't imagine sustaining such energy for much longer.

Apparently this album's release will be accompanied by some Danielson videos and a possible documentary, which I'd be very intrigued to see. However, I'm not sure I ever will become a true fan of Danielson; perhaps I'm too old, but I do get a bit of a 'not invited to the party' feel listening to them. Nevertheless, I think I will always hold respect for the band's energy, originality and Daniel Smith's Elmo subliminal messaging.