There's something sublimely old-fashioned about this local recording. In an age when most rock songs are layered with a pastoral folk drone or baroque electronica, Dargan frequently embraces the brightly accessible verse-chorus-verse guitar rock that once ruled.
It's a breath of fresh air, though it's not likely to make the young folk feel cool.
There's plenty of liberal resistance here. "Goodbye" is a happy anthem bidding adieu to the reign of George W. Bush. "Ballad of Alberto Gonzales" is a wry serenade to political loyalty gone wrong.
Dargan seamlessly shifts gears between easygoing sing-along songs like "Little Miss Sunshine" and rootsier, country-influenced tracks like "If I Were Smart." Further proving his craftsmanship, Dargan brings in the horns and cranks out what could be a show tune on "I Scare So Easily."
Dargan likes to wear bow ties when he performs live, and these songs beautifully support his nerdy persona. "Margaret" is a gorgeous, laid-back love song. Listen closely, and you soon realize the object of Dargan's affection is a "tired baby" who is "chewing on her toes."
Thankfully, Sean Michael Dargan just wasn't made for these times.
