Dance Gavin Dance - Acceptance Speech Album Review: All Eleven Tracks Analyzed

3. Acceptance Speech €“ The band opens the title track with a teetering rhythm and Swan's ever changing, Wha-Wah effected guitar riff. With nearly every bar of the verse, Swan slightly alters the riff by reshaping the rhythm and playing different combinations of notes, each time producing a fresh and highly impressive permutation of his original composition. Its small flourishes like these that showcase the high level of skill and knowledge of music theory the guitarist possesses. The song also features a strong chorus, which gives Pearson a thumping groove to tap into, the kick drum and bass guitar helping to give his vocals an added low frequency impact that they lack on their own. At the end of the song, rapping guy returns, delivering a surprisingly essential verse which ends the song on a bizarre, eclectic note. 4. Carve €“ On song number four, "Carve," the band deliver the most aggressive track of the album. Mess's acidic screams occupy the majority of the song, with Pearson only making brief appearances during the choruses. The ratio of increased screaming to less singing greatly benefits Pearson, allowing his vocals to act as a consonant change-up instead of a slightly overused primary focus. The increased aggression also allows the listener to tune into and focus on Mess's harsh vocals, revealing some venomous social commentary delivered in lines such as, "This is my brand and I charge you the fee / bathing in the glory / I love my story / I jumped inside the blender / now drink me." Here, Mess is attacking the exploitive nature of famous actors and athletes slapping their name on a product and selling it to consumers at maximum price regardless of quality.