By Lane Lannan
The extended family of The Beach Boys is at it again with new music. This time around, it is Daniel Knutson’s turn in the spotlight with his new EP, Stream of Consciousness? Knutson, going by Danny K for this project, is married to Wendy Wilson, and is the son-in-law of Brian Wilson.
Stream of Consciousness? Was released on March 7 of this year. It features four tracks that come in at a runtime just shy of 14 minutes.
Even though the EP is made up of only four songs, it utilizes that limited track list perfectly. No song overstays its welcome, and each one leaves you wishing for a little bit more. The elements of soft and alternative rock in the EP flow effortlessly between the songs, which allows for each song’s lyrics to be the center of attention.
Danny K gets things off to a great start with “Do You Know.” An acoustic guitar and a simple drumbeat fill the listener’s ears before Danny starts singing, but when he does it all comes together.
The song feels reflective, even nostalgic in a way. Danny appears to be reflecting on his past decisions and regrets, viewing his life in retrospect.
He sings “am I thinking way too hard / Did I wait too long to call / And if I spoke up maybe I would have it all.” Those lyrics are the perfect encapsulation of what the song is about and showcase a taste of the emotional depth this project contains.
From there Danny cranks up the tempo with “Your Letter.” The song is a bright and upbeat tune with lyrics that float perfectly atop an infectious instrumental.
This song in particular feels like there could be some Beach Boys influence. It would fit right in on an album like Sunflower. There is just something bright about the song that makes you happy when you listen to it.
Personally, my favorite part of the song comes around the halfway point. Here the lyrics stop, and Danny performs some great harmonies over the bright instrumental. It was a magical moment upon the first listen and was a continued favorite moment the more I listened to the song and the EP in general.
From there Danny shifts the tempo once again, coming down a bit for “I Just Can’t Love You.” This song is sadder in terms of the lyrics, but there is still something uplifting about it, something I attribute to the gorgeous harmonies that fill the background of the song. Couple that with the excellent instrumentation of the song, and you’re left with another hit from this EP.
Danny sings “I just can’t love you after what we’ve been through, any more than I do / I can’t believe you; you’re the same girl I knew / Who I could always talk to.”
Those lyrics showcase the emotion of the song perfectly. There is a sense of loss in the song, but one that is still positive in spite of the sadness. It has a sense of optimism that is uplifting to hear. Especially in the world we live in, hearing positivity in the face of sadness is comforting, in a way.
That all brings us to the conclusion of the EP, “That’s All I Know.” The song showcases something rather unique about the project: the way it builds on itself.
“That’s All I Know” feels like the perfect culmination of every song that came before it. The intro reminded me of “Do You Know,” and the upbeat instrumentation and harmonies that are sprinkled throughout reminded me of “Your Letter” and “I Just Can’t Love You,” respectively.
It may be lofty to say, but everything about this song in particular is perfect. The lyrics blend perfectly with the instrumentation, but the instruments still get time to shine, especially with a heavenly guitar solo about two minutes into the song. There is a lot going on in the background, but it makes for a great listening experience. Putting on the song and listening closer caused me to hear different things that I missed initially. It is a spectacular way for Danny to bring Stream of Consciousness? to a close.
Overall, Danny absolutely crushes the performance on this EP. There is no shortage of great instrumentation, catchy vocals and excellent vibes present, something that is especially impressive given its short runtime. There is no shortage of great moments on the EP, and I am personally very interested to see where Danny goes from here.
This project is a must listen for any fans of The Beach Boys, especially those who are also fans of other soft rock and alternative songs and artists. This EP is guaranteed to leave you wanting more.
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