The Dandelion War

To say that this album is moving is an understatement. With eerie, brooding vocals, drifting synthesisers, glittering keys and post-rock inspired electric riff outbursts, this album will have you falling to your knees, bowed over by the weight of emotion that is threaded through each track. Prepare to be soothed, to be crushed, to be inspired. - 7BitArcade

To say that this album is moving is an understatement. With eerie, brooding vocals, drifting synthesisers, glittering keys and post-rock inspired electric riff outbursts, this album will have you falling to your knees, bowed over by the weight of emotion that is threaded through each track. Prepare to be soothed, to be crushed, to be inspired. - 7BitArcade

Deep Elm’s latest signing, The Dandelion War, finds the long-running label further honing its reputation for epic, emotional ambient rock. This California five-piece spent two years on We Were Always Loyal to Lost Causes, and it certainly sounds like it; music this intricate and delicate is not made in a hurry. …an impressive record of powerful beauty. - The Big Takeover

Deep Elm’s latest signing, The Dandelion War, finds the long-running label further honing its reputation for epic, emotional ambient rock. This California five-piece spent two years on We Were Always Loyal to Lost Causes, and it certainly sounds like it; music this intricate and delicate is not made in a hurry. …an impressive record of powerful beauty. - The Big Takeover

Sounding like what would happen if someone melted Explosions In The Sky, Radiohead and The Antlers’ Hospice together, The Dandelion War’s sophomore album, We Were Always Loyal To Lost Causes is one of the most attractive albums that you will hear this year. The band are relatively young but craft post-rock that will leave you with goosebumps. It can’t be stressed enough, how well crafted this album is. They never put a foot wrong, with each member of the band working together in a way that every part of each song is essential. They manage to avoid falling into common traps of post-rock bands, never once does it get boring, they never overstay their welcome on on one song, and each track is the perfect length. Also, each track can stand on its own feet outside of the album, with the beauty not being reliant on the rest of the record. The closer “Stone Castles” is as epic as they come, and features some of the most emotional instrumental music any listener will hear.

Overall, The Dandelion War are an unbelievably talented band. We Were Always Loyal To Lost Causes is as a close to a perfect post-rock album as you can get. - Absolute Punk

Sounding like what would happen if someone melted Explosions In The Sky, Radiohead and The Antlers’ Hospice together, The Dandelion War’s sophomore album, We Were Always Loyal To Lost Causes is one of the most attractive albums that you will hear this year. The band are relatively young but craft post-rock that will leave you with goosebumps. It can’t be stressed enough, how well crafted this album is. They never put a foot wrong, with each member of the band working together in a way that every part of each song is essential. They manage to avoid falling into common traps of post-rock bands, never once does it get boring, they never overstay their welcome on on one song, and each track is the perfect length. Also, each track can stand on its own feet outside of the album, with the beauty not being reliant on the rest of the record. The closer “Stone Castles” is as epic as they come, and features some of the most emotional instrumental music any listener will hear.

Overall, The Dandelion War are an unbelievably talented band. We Were Always Loyal To Lost Causes is as a close to a perfect post-rock album as you can get. - Absolute Punk

The Dandelion War successfully does the airy, Radiohead meets Sigur Ros thing, though not as long-winded. Like other bands in the genre, dynamics shift between multi-instruments, and strong beats provide a solid backdrop for the melodies. The vocals sometimes give way to the playing, which will keep the band from leaning into Coldplay territory. It sounds like they think that's a good thing.

By: Tony Hicks - Oakland Tribune/Contra Costa Times

Despite my somewhat limited familiarity with the various shades of post-rock, I dare say that The Dandelion War, on one hand at least, appears a fairly typical band of the style. You've got your progressive song-structures, which gradually increase in layering, as guitars, glockenspiel, piano and ambient effects intertwine in some very atmospheric harmonies. Fortunately however, the band also deviates from the standard fare in two very noticeable ways:

Firstly, their sound is complimented by an expert vocalist in Larry Fernandez, who seamlessly let's notes dance off both his chest and head voice, often sounding like a classical singer, except for the apparent passion with which he coats many a note. Secondly, TDW are not a band to waste much time or be very longwinded, and this is probably my favourite feature of theirs: These guys seem to have a very fine-tuned sense for letting their songs progress at exactly the time the listener is ready for them to take the next step, and hence the immersive soundscape is kept almost constantly varied and engaging.
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- Rock Freaks

"Geometries and Orchids is a lovely little slice of indie rock beauty. Vocals are pretty, guitars are jangly, rhythm section is solid. There are quite a few vocal-free spaces, which gives it an oddly open, airy feeling that resonates in the vocal style. It's floating-on-a-cloud music." - East Bay Express

A few months ago, San Francisco post-rock band The Dandelion War were watching "Explosions in the Sky" play the Great American Music Hall.

The six members, keyboard player Dave Tran, singer Larry Fernandez, guitarists Jeff Kay and Mikey Fuson, drummer Julius Magibay and bassist Mario Roque decided at that time they also wanted to play at the storied music hall.

And tonight they will, in the 2nd annual Bay Rising music competition

Tran said Tuesday they didn't expect that day would come so soon.

The Dandelion War is one of five finalists at this year's Bay Rising,
which showcases local talent and benefits school music programs. The five finalists, who also include Dynamic, Joel Streeter, Weather Pending and BOTB.com members the French Cassettes, were whittled down from 10 semifinalists and will compete tonight in front of hundreds of fans and a panel of judges to win more than $10,000 in prizes.

The competition begins at 7 p.m. at the Great American Music Hall.
But for Tran and his band mates, the real prize is the exposure of
performing.

"We think we've already won to be able to play the Great American Music Hall," Tran says. "We're still in our infant stages. There"s plenty of bands who have been together for five-plus years and are still trying to make a name for themselves. Playing a large event like this is a huge honor and will help bring attention to our band."


The Dandelion War came together a year ago from the ashes of a screamo band. Three members of that band, Fernandez, Fuson and Roque, recruited the new members through Craigslist.com.

"This band is kind of a growth in (the first three members') musicality," Tran said. "If you listen to what they were playing a year
ago and what they are playing now it's a complete 180."

The new band did not know what their new sound should be, but they all agreed they were fans of post-rock bands such as Explosions in the Sky, Sigur Ros and Radiohead.

"They're exploring different textures, playing with different elements of music and combining that to make a rich soundscape," Tran said. "We knew we wanted to make something grandiose, create large soundscapes a la those bands that we look up to."

Like Explosions, The Dandelion War use shimmering guitars, building
drums and crescendos of noise to paint pictures.

They make their style their own by using more vocals than their idols.

"Larry comes from various musical backgrounds, Tran said. "He sang in a church choir when he was growing up and he was a singer for a jazz band. He adds another layer of texture."

By: Roman Gokhman - BandsOfTheBay.com