Danielson

Danielson showcases Daniel Smith’s fervent and unconventional indie rock alongside assorted collaborators, among them his own siblings. The outfit first issued several full-lengths as the Danielson Famile, among them the gospel-centered debut A Prayer for Every Hour in 1995, before the lo-fi endeavor adopted the shortened name Danielson for the 2006 release Ships. Into the 2010s the group continued to produce whimsical yet energetic and idiosyncratic rock, with Smith’s ninth album, Solid Gold Heart, appearing in 2014 as a joint effort between Danielson and Jad Fair.

Daniel Smith submitted the material that became Danielson Famile’s inaugural album, A Prayer for Every Hour, as his senior thesis at Rutgers University, receiving an A and thereby launching a sustained career in gospel-inflected indie rock. Tooth & Nail Records put the record out in 1995, with Smith supported by siblings whose ages spanned from twelve to the early twenties. The family ensemble conveyed orthodox Christian messages while avoiding conventional Christian imagery, favoring instead an inventive, quirky approach reminiscent of an impromptu roadside revival. Kramer, known for work with Galaxie 500, Low, and Palace Brothers, produced the follow-up Tell Another Joke at the Ol' Choppin' Block, which arrived in 1997.

Smith introduced the Tri-Danielson project in 1998 to represent his three separate musical paths: solo work, performances with family members, and the more rock-oriented Danielsonship. Tri-Danielson released Tri-Danielson, Vol. 1 (Alpha) that same year and Tri-Danielson, Vol 2 (Omega) in 1999; both garnered considerable attention from the mainstream press even though their lyrics were explicitly spiritual. Capitalizing on the exposure, the band moved to Secretly Canadian Records in 2001, leaving the overtly Christian Tooth & Nail label behind, and enlisted Steve Albini—rather than longtime producer Kramer—to helm 2001’s Fetch the Compass Kids. The Smith-produced solo outing Brother: Son, credited to Br. Danielson, appeared in 2004. For 2006’s Ships, issued under the streamlined moniker Danielson, Smith assembled every past Famile collaborator, drawing guests that included singer/songwriters Sufjan Stevens and Chris Cohen plus Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier.

After parting from Secretly Canadian, Danielson issued several singles on Kill Rock Stars, Sounds Familyre, and Fire Records over the ensuing years. The group resurfaced with an entirely new lineup on 2011’s Best of Gloucester County, the band’s eighth studio album despite the title suggesting a retrospective. Solid Gold Heart, the next Danielson album, emerged in 2014 through a partnership with Half Japanese founder Jad Fair: Fair supplied the lyrics and sang lead, Smith wrote the music, the Famile supplied accompaniment, and Kramer handled recording and mixing. The project marked a shift to Joyful Noise Recordings, at the time also home to Fair and Deerhoof. Danielson and Joyful Noise then issued the Snap Outtavit EP in 2018.