Girl at the Rock Shows

It’s absolutely bitterly cold up here in Minneapolis. Honestly, it has me wondering if I really need to go out to a show tonight. Okay, that’s a lie. I’m obviously going out to a show tonight, but for now, all I want is to stay cozy indoors with the cats and a fresh cup of coffee. Thankfully, I have ‘Fantasia’ from Dahlia Dumont to help keep me warm.

This twelve-song album kicks off with “Betty II,” and I was instantly captivated by Dahlia’s vocals. This opening song has an almost theatrical and musical feeling to it, while Dahlia’s vocals reign over everything else happening in this track. The instrumentation feels a bit light at times, but that adds to the quirkiness of this song, which really hooked me. It’s a little musical theater meets Gwen Stefani’s pop attitude. I know that quirkiness may not sound like a great thing, but in the case of “Betty II”, it absolutely is and adds a perfect charm to get you lost in Dahlia’s world. I really love the lyrics of this song. They sound like poetry because, well, they are, and on top of that, I love the lyrical content of this song.

“Stalker” slows things down into an almost smokey jazz bar vibe. Again, it’s a gorgeous show of Dahlia’s stunning vocal talent. The trippy instrumentation showcases those vocals while giving this song a little extra chutzpah to keep you interested. I got a bit of a Kate Nash vibe from this song, which is a true contrast from the Gwen Stefani attitude I got in the first song, but it works. Just when Dahlia had me lost in this new world, she switched it into something a bit more aggressive for “Semi-Automatic Trinket (TAKE IT!)”.

This third track on the album has an almost abrasive attitude to it at the beginning before you get brilliant instrumental intricacies that take this song into a world that I’ve honestly never even heard before. Just when you think that this song is an IDGAF kind of anthem, Dahlia hits you with this cool Latin-flavored instrumental break that features everything from an accordion to a trombone. On paper, this track makes no sense. There’s so much happening and so many styles that dip in and out throughout the three-and-a-half-minute song, but when listening to the song (not analyzing it), there’s no denying how genius this track is.

“Sickness” brings you back to that jazz bar that Dahlia hints at in “Stalker” and emphasizes the feeling. This slow and steady track may be the longest on the album at just over five minutes, but it moves fast as Dahlia continues to wrap your heart in her fingers. The layers of vocals make this a super lush track and one where, every time you listen to it, you seem to latch onto a different layer, making you see and hear this song in a whole different light.

Just when I thought there was no way that Dahlia Dumont would add or surprise me with any other new elements, the title track, “Fantasia,” took over my ears with an almost 80s sense of bliss. The opening of this track is upbeat and danceable but quickly turns into a poem of lyrics in French over seemingly random piano notes and guitar strums. Just when you think this is where the track will go, the song goes back to that danceable electronic-synth-styled beat. Throughout this four-and-a-half-minute song, you dabble between these two worlds. One of dancability and one of tenderness. Although these two worlds couldn’t be further from the same, the way Dahlia combines them in this song is fantastic.

I was still trying to wrap my head around “Fantasia” as “Wishing Well” swooped in and overtook my heart. This more classic singer-songwriter-styled folk song really showcases Dahlia’s vocals. I know I’ve said that a couple of times, but I really can not understate just how talented this woman is, and I feel like this slower-paced song with minimal instrumentation really gives you a chance to let that sink in but don’t get too lost in it because, no surprise here, everything changes as the album moves onto “Consent.”

Although lyrics are a big player in this entire album, the lyrics of “Consent” came off as super creative. It’s a political-leaning song about, well, “Consent,” but the way that Dahlia showcases her talent as a wordsmith extraordinaire is striking in this song. On top of that, I really like the arrival of that almost musical quality I got from this album’s opening track. This shouldn’t be a fun song due to the lyrical content, but I couldn’t help but get super into some of the more infectious moments of this track and let them become earworms that I won’t be able to shake any time soon.

Don’t get me wrong, I was already feeling much warmer and cozier with every track from this album that I listened to but “Sentimental Reasons” definitely wrapped around me like a warm blanket. At the beginning of this song, you think it’s going to be a ballad-leaning love song but, within about a minute, you realize that that would be too normal for Dahlia and, instead, she and her excellent musicians turn it into a chill and lo-fi feeling reggae track. “Sentimental Reasons” transported me from the Arctic tundra that is Minneapolis straight to some super warm and beautiful beach while giving me the warm fuzzies simultaneously. Even though it is a super island-inspired kind of song, there’s still no denying the fact that this is a beautifully written love song.

There’s a childlike sweetness that comes through with “The Walls.” This song belongs in a Disney movie. There’s something slightly cinematic about it but also something approachable and raw about the vocal presentation. Add Dahlia’s signature almost musical theater vibe that just seems to be naturally in her voice, and you are left with the kind of track that happens when Beauty is dancing with Beast or when Sleeping Beauty finally wakes up (okay, I haven’t seen a lot of Disney movies but that’s kind of the feeling that comes with this song).

“Crossing To Brooklyn” sounds like, well, it sounds like Brooklyn. Much like this entire album seems to be a melting point of different tones, sounds, and genres, “Crossing To Brooklyn” does all of that in just three minutes and forty-five seconds. A melting pot of a song, this song comes with plenty of ear wormy parts that will surely get stuck in your head while also giving you moments of pure beautiful bliss. The back-and-forth between Dahlia and Izaiah Graves’ vocals in this song gives the track a slight hint of drama that I just could not get enough of.

Second to last on this album is “L’Opossum”. It’s almost like Dahlia is finally giving you a chance to settle into that smoky jazz bar that she had teased previously in the album with this song. A slow and sultry song done entirely in French, this song will make you want to grab a glass of your finest red wine, sit back, and just ponder life and its intricacies. At least, that’s what you think you’re getting when this song starts. I felt like I kept bracing for impact for the moment where Dahlia decides to throw in a metalcore breakdown or something in this track just to keep me on my toes, but it never came, and it led to a charming track that got a few listens from me before moving onto the final track.

‘Fantasia’ closes out with “Oblivion II”. Honestly, I was angry as this song played through my house. I knew it was the end of this super surprising journey, but that anger didn’t last long. This is such a fun and positive track to end this album with. It’s perfect and seems to showcase all of the things I have heard throughout this album, but it also expands on them ever so slightly. The toot of the sousaphone adds depth to this song, making it feel larger than life. Add the almost southern twang to some of the instrumentation, and Dahlia somehow ends this album perfectly while leaving you with so many more questions and wanting so much more.

This review is all over the place. I won’t apologize for it. Honestly, this album is all over the place, and it’s genius. I went down so many rabbit holes and went on so many journeys throughout this twelve-song album, and when it came to an end, all I wanted to do was buckle up and take the ride all over again. Truly, a huge bravo to Dahlia Dumont and everyone else that had a hand in ‘Fantasia.’

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