Darro is a New York, USA-based rock singer songwriter who has just released his second album. A deeply personal collection, it explores impactful moments of his life, including heartbreak, inner turmoil and recovery from a brain tumour that left him unable to speak or sing. It’s called Accidents.
By Graeme Smith
A textured intro sets the scene for the story, combining melodic guitar with experimental percussion, while late, glitchy vocals leads into Signing Out. A pure example of emo rock, the vocals are passionate while the guitar riffs are noodling. The two tracks together are such a wonderful start.
Each track of Accidents is a self-contained story that adds to wider picture of Darro’s story. There’s a lot of pain expressed but the overall effect is life-affirming. Such is emo, I suppose. Wanna Say Goodbye is bold and philosophical, and speaks of the romanisation of escape. Phoning In, which features Michael Meany, draws on modern emo hip-hop influences, and feels like a long, releasing sigh.
Burned So Bright is a quiet, reflective moment at the heart of the album that encapsulates the lifespan of a relationship in less than three minutes. It’s a highlight. Something I’m Not Used To is another collaboration, this time with Californian hyper punk Nate Flud. It teems with an explosive energy, saturated as it is with an apocalyptic kind of love.
The final part of the album goes heavier. Used Me (All Along) seethes with the special form of anger that can only come with heartbreak. All Be Lost opens with big riffs and looks inward in its lyrics. Runs on Guilt is Darro’s sound at its edgiest. With its descriptive lyrics and expressive guitar it’s another highlight. Finally, a solo version of Phoning In rounds off the album.
If you’re going through something, then Accidents is the kind of album that will give you some release. Even if you’re not, its vibrant rock energy is infectious. I couldn’t help but feel along to Darro’s youthful tales of turmoil. It’s a perfect slice of emo for a languid Thursday afternoon. You can check out the whole album below.
