Danger Den – Pull Yourself Together (Album Review)

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Tamara May

Danger Den – Pull Yourself Together
Released: September 2, 2021

Lineup:

Jeremy Uyloan // vocals, lead guitar
Callan Power // bass
Morgan Lockhart // drums
Brenden Weinheimer // rhythm guitar

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Australia’s punk rock scene is about as diverse as our geographical landscape itself. We’ve got bands like Violent Soho and Dune Rats that shine in the indie rock category, to the rowdy punk rockers like Wishful Thinking and Guttermouth that’ll set your local pub alight with their high-energy riffs. Allow me to introduce you to the newest kids on the scene, Danger Den, who hail from a city that will surprise most Australians. Darwin is home to quite the eclectic music scene, ranging from breeding the next in heavy music with Tapestry to indie alt/rock groove outfit Draftday.

Danger Den however, are here to shine a light on what they have to offer the Australian pop punk scene, while further carving out their own niche locally. Pull Yourself Together is an impressive debut release and is exactly what we expect to hear from a cheeky four piece in the Top End. Kicking off with ‘Sugar Rush’, Danger Den show mass pop punk appeal with this bouncy tune hitting us with the positive energy we all need right now. Even on the slightly more alternative, darker songs, vocalist Jeremy Uyloan’s tone keeps the poppier elements alive on ‘Emma’, which initially gave me eerie Sum 41 vibes. The iconic early 2000s melody on this is a real juicy highlight of the album though, and is ever so consistent throughout.

‘Coming Home’ is the kind of summery punk rock you’d hear at your local pub, and for a band hailing from the NT, this song perfectly represents the eclectic music taste of their home town. While tones of radio friendly rock ebb and flow here, it very much radiates a laid back outback Australian setting before the band’s US musical influences come into play on ‘Merry-Go-Round’. The melodic pop punk energy is heavy on this track, maintaining the lighthearted fun intact, while ‘Graduation’ easily stands as Danger Den’s strongest song to date. Production on this is the tightest we’ve heard yet, collectively pulling the band’s influences together to create a unique punk rock track that manages to sit high in key with Aussie legends The Living End and fellow punks Wishful Thinking.

‘Crazy Girl’ was a bit of a fun party song — it’s hella cheeky and sounds like something you’d hear when you’re out at the bar late (threw me back to Darwin’s wild nightlife — Mitchell Street is a time and a half!). By now though, it’s super clear to see what Danger Den are all about. Tongue-in-cheek high energy pop punk that teeters towards indie rock, which is why leading single ‘Drag Me Down’ felt like the perfect gateway drug for the Darwin punks. It’s catchy enough to sing and dance along to, but also gives the band some pop punk edge.

Rounding up this fun debut is ‘Too Much To Ask’ with its melodically sound, punky pop zest which will surely set the band alight at the Territory’s biggest music events one day. Final track ‘For You’ is a moody, emo rock belter that sees Uyloan at his most emotional side yet. It’s a little more of a serious end to what was thoroughly a highly enjoyable listening session. The uplifting breakdown towards the middle kinda acts as a teaser for what Danger Den have up their sleeves in future releases. A darker emo stance perhaps?

While Darwin’s Danger Den are the sole pop punk act from their hometown, this four piece have added themselves to the already stellar musical landscape of their Aussie peers. Pull Yourself Together combines pop punk catchiness with a very unique Australian punk twist that could one day work in these boys’ favour. It’s still very early days though, but so long as Danger Den keep the flame alight with gigs and consistently fun tunes, their breakthrough could come even sooner.