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Artist Name: Dinner Time
Who Are They: An indie pop “supergroup,” if you will, that formed from the ashes of Ian Buford’s old band, the Pellys. As drummer Chad Miller (Antarcticats) told me, Dinner Time probably could’ve assembled before now, as three of the members—Miller, Buford, and Pop Weirdos auteur Bennett Kane—have been shuffling between each other’s bands for years now.
Members
Alejandro Uribe – Lead guitar
Ian Buford – Rhythm guitar, lead vocals
Bennett Kane – Bass, backing vocals
Chad Miller – Drums
Sounds Like: Start with Antarcticats and that semi-tropical hammock rock, especially at high tide when the waves pound harder. Now imagine the band on the beach, but fully dressed in pressed button-downs and bowler haircuts. And then you realize, as the camera slowly zooms out, that you’re not really on a beach at all, but in a stylized model with plastic palm trees and bleach-white sand. Somewhere on the other side, Phil Spector is watching from his director’s chair; he approves, mostly, but wants to add some clever choreography and timpanis. No one’s got the time or money for either, so we’ve settled for the next best compromise: some twinkly chimes off-screen. Brilliant!
Releases: As of now, Dinner Time has only granted the internet “Walden Park,” but they promise to serve a second single by early August.
Mandatory Listening: Well, “Walden Park,” duh. See ‘Sounds Like’ above for details. However, if we fold in the members’ other projects, then I’d say Antarcticats’ latest long-player I Know You Are, But What Am I? points most to what Dinner Time sound like now. See “Back By Midnight” for a scarily close analog of the same doo-wop swing, and “You’ve Got Something” for the hopscotch skip.
Dinner Time will perform Sat., Aug. 4 at Andrew’s Birthday Show alongside Antarcticats and Lazer Tag. Doors open at 8 p.m.
More Info
Bandcamp: dinner-time.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @dinner.time.usa
Instagram: @dinnertime.usa