Despite critical and commercial success with his debut album Sweet Disarray, Dan Croll still found himself in the unenviable position of being dropped by his record label just before recording the follow-up. Having previously included one of his tracks in 2012’s New Faces compilation, Communion Records swooped in and have allowed this interesting artist space and freedom in which to produce and record this album in the style that he wanted. Setting himself the challenge of writing and recording the entire piece solo, Croll has rewarded Communion’s belief by delivering a fantastic album seemingly full of confidence and self-belief.

Based on universal themes of finding your place in the world amongst endless possibilities, Emerging Adulthood begins with the fantastic ‘One Of Us’. There is a real urgency behind the guitar and drum beat on this track, something not heard in his work before as he sings: “Heard you can’t beat the rush, give in and be one of us.” It may be a slightly older track than the majority of the album, but Croll’s belief that it merits its place is more than justified as it reflects a real change in tone from his debut album – even including a victorious guitar solo in the final minute. The opening few tracks sound like a completely different artist to the man who released Sweet Disarray, ‘Bad Boy’ sounding like something that Maroon 5 would kill for, with its theme of railing against societal expectations. It’s pure pop-rock, a real rush to the system without becoming too sugary sweet. By the time ‘24’ builds to a thrilling climax. after beginning as a slowed-down and stripped-back pop-punk anthem akin to a less juvenile Sum 41, this sophomore album is showing a real evolution in Croll’s craft.

When the pace finally slows on ‘Sometimes When I’m Lonely’, the results are slightly less successful. There can be a tendency to add in sounds and effects where sometimes a little bit of space would be more effective to allow the music to breathe, and it risks drowning some of the quieter moments at times. It’s a fine line however, as the brass and African-tinged elements to 'Away From Today’ elevate it into something special. It’s this kind of detail that rewards repeated listens, as the hidden depths and details within each track are allowed to slowly reveal themselves. With the exception of the fantastic ‘Swim’, where he is joined by Stealing Sheep’s Rebecca Hawley, the second half of the album shows slightly less ambition or progression than that thrilling opening. That is not to say that the quality sags at any point, more that he reverts back to the style of his debut album rather than stretching himself. This is a much more assured record than Sweet Disarray and, while there is nothing as transcendental as the title track from that debut, the album itself is a much stronger piece of work overall. Give it the time to reveal its secrets to you, and this will become a go-to record throughout the summer.

Jamie MacMillan

Website: dancroll.com
Facebook: facebook.com/dancroll
Twitter: twitter.com/DanCroll