Are you ready for Day Dreems’ trans liberation psych rock? Probably not, because nothing I say will prepare you for the way this album gently pulls the rug out from under you. The album kicks off with “F Natural,” a sweet celebration of trans identity that cheerfully rejects the idea that being trans is unnatural.
That sunniness permeates the album. Even on the crunchier songs like “Brain Drain,” Day Dreems takes such obvious joy in creating music that nothing seems to get them down for too long. Their voice is exquisitely evocative of the freewheeling feel of ’70s glam rock: operatic, earnest, emotional — and an instrument as tightly controlled as any virtuoso guitar solo.
“Let’s Be Lonely” sweeps that sweetness up into a warm love song: one that emphasizes life’s little joys — and the overarching need to immerse oneself with the safest person they know. That power of observation is a key component of the enchanting “Lady Beetle,” a hard-driving appreciation for the aforementioned insect.
The album’s power is highly concentrated into my favorite track, “Bad Old Days.” Here, Day Dreems kills with kindness — it’s the catchiest critique of transphobes and indifferent “allies” that I’ve heard, at least. Even so, the song’s airy nature implies that there’s always time to turn around, to change your mind, to join in on the right side of history and create a world as simple and beautiful as the one Day Dreems spins up in their studio.
Day Dreems — Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, Patreon, Instagram, Mastodon, Threads